The Home Secretary has challenged Gary Lineker, and other critics of her Rwanda policy, to visit the country and see the opportunities for asylum seekers there, rather than indulging in "gross prejudice and snobbery".
Suella Braverman was speaking at the end of her two-day visit to the Central African nation.
In an exclusive sit-down interview with GB News, Braverman said Rwanda was a dynamic and welcoming country, which would offer asylum seekers a good life.
Asked whether she would encourage the BBC Match of the Day presenter, opposition MPs and other critics of the deal, to come to Rwanda, the Home Secretary said: "Absolutely. I think there has been far too much prejudice, frankly, and snobbery amongst the critics, most of them haven't even visited Rwanda.
Suella Braverman urged critics of her Rwanda policy to visit the country for themselves
GB News
"This is my third visit to Rwanda. They have a proud track record in supporting and settling refugees in the region.
"I've just met several refugees from Eritrea, Burundi, and from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who found sanctuary here in Rwanda, and they have nothing but gratitude for Rwanda.
"So, to all of those critics who display a gross prejudice against Rwanda, I tell them to visit first and then judge."
The Home Secretary said there had been a knee-jerk reaction to the partnership agreement from the "usual suspects" and said the reality was very different to how the critics would portray Rwanda.
"Rawanda is dynamic, Rwanda is welcoming, Rwanda has a tradition of providing humanitarian support of a high quality.
"And the housing project that we visited is one such example, where people who are resettled refugees, will be able to be accommodated in sustainable and good quality accommodation."
The Home Secretary toured a number of housing developments, which the UK and Rwandan governments say are gearing up to take many thousands of asylum seekers in the months ahead if required.
A Home Office senior source said they do not know yet how many asylum seekers will be sent from the UK to Rwanda, because it depended on how quickly the policy could break the people smuggling model.
Ask about the central charge by critics of the policy, that the UK is abrogating its responsibility to offer safe haven to asylum seekers who come to the UK, Braverman said: "Coming to Rwanda, or being settled in Rwanda, if you've come to the UK illegally, will be a blessing.
"You will be provided with humanitarian support. It will be a humane provision for you.
"But I also say, that ultimately, we need to stop the people smuggling gangs, and that's why Rwanda is important.
"The people smuggling gangs are exploiting thousands of people. People are paying thousands of pounds to take an illegal journey, to take sometimes a tragically fatal journey, to break our laws and undermine our rules, in the vain hope that they might have a life in the United Kingdom."
The Home Secretary denied there was a fundamental contradiction in the Rwanda policy, which claims the scheme will deter small boat crossings, while also portraying Rwanda as a good place to live.
"What I'm trying to show is that our approach in the United Kingdom to stopping the boats is both firm and robust, our illegal migration bill will make clear that if you arrive in the UK illegally, you will be detained and you will be swiftly removed.
"And at the same time, it’s humane and compassionate. People who are relocated to Rwanda will receive a safe and secure reception.
"And I think those two elements, robustness, with our legal processes in the UK, combined with compassion, is the way to solve this problem."
It is almost a year since the Rwanda deal was first announced by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The Home Secretary spent the weekend visiting Rwanda
GB News
A last minute legal ruling by the European Court of Human Rights prevented the first flight of asylum seekers leaving the UK for Rwanda last June.
The Home Secretary warned that pulling out of the ECHR was still a possibility if the policy, part of the Government's new Illegal Migration Bill, remained stuck in the courts.
"I’m confident that our package of measures will work," she said.
"The Prime Minister and I are working very hard. We’ve introduced the bill.
"We hope that Parliament supports it so it can get through to Royal ascent quickly. But let me be clear, nothing is ever off the table, and we have to always consider every option as the weeks pan out."