The United Kingdom parliament has reached an agreement to sign a deal that would send asylum seekers who cross the English Channel in small boats, to Rwanda while their claims are processed in the UK.

The move which was proposed two weeks ago by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was put on hold as the parliament could not come to an agreement on how the deal would be handled.

But after a lot of deliberations, the agreement which will be worth millions of dollars to the African country, is to be announced on Thursday and will target people trying to reach England in small boats and claim asylum.

Home Secretary Priti Patel will sign the 120 million pound ($158m) agreement for a “migration and economic development partnership” in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

According to Patel, the cost would be funded by UK taxpayers.

As part of the deal, crossing the English Channel in small boats will be made a crime, and those who are allowed to stay will have to live in strictly-controlled camp-like environments while their cases are considered.

Last year alone, more than 28,000 people crossed from Europe to the UK, many in small dinghies, with many losing their lives after their boats sank.

“Before Christmas 27 people drowned, and in the weeks ahead there may be many more losing their lives at sea, and whose bodies may never be recovered.

“Around 600 came across the Channel yesterday. In just a few weeks this could again reach a thousand a day,” Johnson said, while justifying the deal with Rwanda.

Johnson who has been under renewed pressure by the British press after being fined by police for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules at a number of parties in his office, is also set to announce new plans to tackle people-smuggling gangs in the Channel.

But his critics say Johnson is trying to “divert attention from his own behaviour amid calls for his resignation over the repeated lockdown breaches.”