UK Government Considers Allowing Chagos Migrants to Join Family in the UK

Migrants on the Chagos Islands, rescued by the Royal Navy, have been living in challenging conditions since October 2021. Some of the Tamil Sri Lankan asylum seekers filed legal action citing delays in their relocation. The High Court was informed that conditions were often overcrowded and unsanitary, leading to calls for action. In a recent development, the Home Office is proposing that families, children, and men without criminal records be allowed to move directly to the UK. As this situation unfolds, the government asserts it aims to find a solution for the welfare of these migrants amid a larger context of UK-Mauritius negotiations regarding the islands’ sovereignty.