Barge to house asylum-seekers arrives in UK as Parliament passes controversial migration bill
By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — A barge that will house up to 500 asylum-seekers has arrived in England as Parliament passed its controversial bill to curb migration. The boat Bibby Stockholm pulled into Portland on Tuesday after the government’s legislation finally overcame resistance in the House of Lords. The boat and the bill are part of the Conservative Party’s plan to deter migrants from making risky English Channel crossings. The bill is aimed at preventing people arriving illegally from claiming asylum in the UK. The government wants to send detainees back home or to a safe country. A plan to send detainees to Rwanda was rejected in court but is expected to be appealed.