Why are asylum seekers being sent to Rwanda? The controversial policy explained as first flight to take off

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A flight removing the first asylum seekers to Rwanda under a controversial new immigration policy will take off from the UK today, the government has confirmed. Foreign secretary Liz Truss said a flight to east Africa is scheduled on Tuesday evening, but could not say how many people would be on it.

The policy, which is part of home secretary Priti Patel’s bid to curb Channel crossings, appeared to hit a hurdle when several people due to be sent to Rwanda as well as campaign groups asked court judges to block their deportation flights. But members of the government have defended the policy after three Court of Appeal judges ruled that the removal could go ahead.

Three asylum seekers due to be on the first flight launched a last-minute High Court bid to be removed as passengers. However, the Supreme Court rejected their appeal with just hours to go before the flight is due to take off.

READ MORE: Bishop of Manchester blasts government policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as a 'moral low'

Prime minister Boris Johnson insisted that the government would not be deterred by heavy criticism and told his Cabinet ministers this morning that “we are going to get on and deliver” the plan. Opening the Cabinet meeting in No 10, Mr Johnson said there was a “huge amount of attack” aimed at the policy.

“What is happening with the attempt to undermine the Rwanda policy is that they are, I’m afraid, undermining everything that we’re trying to do to support safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK and to oppose the illegal and dangerous routes," he told ministers.

But what does the policy entail and why has it been so controversial? Here's everything you need to know.

Ms Patel has come under pressure in recent years to crack