The Archbishop of Canterbury has condemned a British plan to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers to the East African country of Rwanda, saying the policy did not stand "the judgment of God".
Delivering a sermon on Easter Sunday at Canterbury Cathedral, Justin Welby said the strategy announced last week by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson posed "serious ethical questions".
Anyone who arrived in Britain illegally since 1 January could be relocated to Rwanda under the deal.
Mr Johnson's government said it would help to break people-smuggling networks and stem the flow of migrants across the Channel, but it drew immediate and heavy criticism from politicians and charities.
"The details are for politics and politicians. The principle must stand the judgment of God and it cannot," Archbishop Welby said.
"It cannot carry the weight of our national responsibility as a country formed by Christian values, because sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God who himself took responsibility for our failures," he said.
Archbishop Welby is the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion of about 85 million Christians.
Last year, more than 28,000 migrants and refugees made the crossing from mainland Europe to Britain.
The arrival of migrants on rickety boats has been a source of tension between France and Britain, especially after 27 migrants drowned when their dinghy deflated in November.
'Should not be treated like commodities'
The UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, has voiced "strong opposition and concerns" about the agreement and urged London to refrain from transferring asylum-seekers and refugees to Rwanda for processing.
The agency said people fleeing persecution should not be traded like commodities.
"UNHCR remains firmly opposed to arrangements that seek to transfer refugees and asylum-seekers to third countries in the absence of sufficient safeguards and standards," Gillian Triggs, the UNHCR assistant high commissioner for protection, said in a statement.
"Such arrangements simply shift asylum responsibilities, evade international obligations, and are contrary to the letter and spirit of the refugee convention.
"People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing."
The UNHCR urged both London and Kigali to "re-think" the plans and warned that instead of deterring people from making dangerous crossings, "these externalisation arrangements will only magnify risks" by causing refugees to seek alternative routes.
