Home secretary unlawfully cut trafficking protections to enable ‘one in one out’ asylum deal, judge rules

Shabana Mahmood amended guidance so those denied trafficking protections could not appeal case

The home secretary’s decision to reduce protections for potential trafficking victims to allow the “one in one out” asylum returns deal to proceed was unlawful, a high court judge has ruled.

The legal challenge was brought by five small boat asylum seekers earmarked for return to France – four from Eritrea and one from Sudan. It related to a change in guidance on the one in one out scheme, which meant that those denied trafficking protections no longer had the right to ask for it to be reconsidered.