The Leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has unveiled a sweeping new immigration policy that seeks to deport up to 150,000 illegal migrants every year, describing it as “the toughest reform Britain has ever seen.”
In a video posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Badenoch introduced the Radical Borders Plan, which includes the creation of a specialized Removals Force modeled after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The new unit, she said, would be responsible for detaining and deporting individuals residing illegally in the UK.
“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” Badenoch declared in the video caption.
The Conservative leader criticized previous administrations—both Conservative and Labour—for failing to manage Britain’s migration challenges.
She accused the Labour government of allowing record numbers of illegal crossings and spending billions of pounds on asylum accommodations.
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“Successive governments have failed on immigration. Labour promised to smash the gangs but instead delivered record small boat crossings—over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, and billions wasted. Britain needs a serious, credible plan and the backbone to deliver it,” she said.
Badenoch’s proposal includes a ban on asylum claims from illegal entrants, the repeal of the Human Rights Act, and Britain’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights. The policy also plans to deport all illegal arrivals within one week and impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse to repatriate their citizens.
Badenoch stated that the reforms would “shut down the asylum hotel racket,” save taxpayers billions, and restore public trust in border enforcement.
However, during an interview on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch faced backlash for sidestepping questions about where deported migrants would be sent.
“I’m tired of all these irrelevant questions about where they should go. They will go back to where they came from or another country—but they should not be here,” she said.
The new Removals Force would replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement unit and be granted enhanced powers, including the use of facial recognition technology without prior notice to identify undocumented migrants.
If approved, Badenoch’s proposal would represent one of the most radical overhauls of UK immigration policy in decades, intensifying debates around border control, human rights, and Britain’s international obligations.
Image Credit: Nigeria Info FM
