The legislation is expected to ban asylum claims from migrants who travelled to the UK on small boats, according to the Times.

The law would give powers to the home secretary to remove anyone who arrives on a small boat "as soon as reasonably practicable" to Rwanda or a "safe third country".

Arrivals would be prevented from claiming asylum while in the UK and stopped from returning once removed.

Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman are expected to unveil the plan next week after the prime minister made "stopping the boats" one of his five priorities.

Ms Braverman has also repeatedly promised to take a hard line on Channel crossings.

But the legislation has been heavily criticised by some charities.

Christina Marriott, executive director of strategy at the Red Cross, called it "extremely concerning".

"The Home Office knows from its own research that this will also do little to prevent people risking their lives to seek safety.

"Again and again, we hear from people that they have no prior knowledge of the UK's asylum system, so making it harsher is not an effective strategy," she said.

Sonya Sceats, chief executive at Freedom from Torture, called the proposals "vindictive and dysfunctional".

"This legislation will do nothing to reduce the number of deaths in the Channel or the chaos and incompetence that blights our asylum system, nor will it guarantee sanctuary for those who need it.

"Instead, it will lead to more torture survivors being unfairly denied protection and potentially removed to Rwanda."

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Migrants waiting to cross the Channel not deterred by recent deaths

Home Office figures show 2,950 migrants have crossed the Channel in 2023 so far.

The government's most recent policy aimed to prevent migrants from coming to the UK has been mired in controversy.

The Rwanda scheme is subject to several legal challenges. No flights taking migrants to the country have departed.