However, there has been criticism from some MPs that the archbishops should not be wading into debates regarding government policy and that “church was separated from state a long time ago”.

The friction comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week announced a £120million scheme in which people deemed to have entered the UK unlawfully will be transported to the east African country, where they will be allowed to apply for the right to settle.

It has faced widespread opposition, with more than 160 charities and campaign groups urging ministers to scrap what they described as a “cruel” policy. It has also been criticised by opposition parties and some Conservatives.

The Archbishop of York used his Easter Sunday sermon at York Minister to comment on the Rwanda scheme and say: “There is no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker”.

He said: “We can do better than this. We can do better than this because we see in the risen Christ a vision for our humanity, which breaks barriers down. After all, there is, in law, no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker.

“It is the people who exploit them that we need to crack down on, not our sisters and brothers in their need.

“We don’t need to build more barriers and cower in the darkness of the shadows they create. In Christ new light has dawned upon the world. Therefore, we know that evil, violence, prejudice, and discrimination do not have the last word.”

Archbishop ‘way out of tune with public opinion’

However, Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP for Mansfield, said: “I think we separated the church from the state a long time ago, so as I’ve said before, commenting on government policy is not Justin Welby’s job.

“He’s usually way out of tune with public opinion, and he undermines the role of the church when he comes out with daft statements like this.

“It also, again, shines a light on the underlying racism of the Left, and the assumption that Rwanda is some awful place nobody would want to go.

“It’s one of the most prosperous nations in Africa, it’s growing, they’re looking for people to come and build a life and support the country. For those genuinely seeking safety from war, it’s a safe haven. This will prove to be a very popular policy with the British public.”

The Home Office has defended the plan from the criticisms, saying the UK has a “proud history” of supporting those in need and resettlement programmes have provided “safe and legal routes to better futures” for hundreds of thousands.

“However, the world is facing a global migration crisis on an unprecedented scale and change is needed to prevent vile people smugglers putting people’s lives at risk and to fix the broken global asylum system,” a spokesperson said.

The Home Office said Rwanda is “safe and secure” and will process claims in accordance with international human rights laws.