LONDON – The populist Reform UK party announced sweeping immigration proposals on Monday, calling for the establishment of a deportation agency modeled after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove thousands of undocumented migrants from Britain.
The party, headed by Brexit advocate Nigel Farage, is leading in polling data ahead of the country’s next election scheduled for August 2029 at the latest. Reform UK has been increasing its policy announcements as it seeks to demonstrate its readiness to lead the nation.
Speaking from Dover, the primary entry point for migrants crossing from France, Reform’s home affairs policy leader Zia Yusuf characterized current immigration levels as a crisis requiring immediate action. Yusuf, whose parents were immigrants themselves, called for the creation of a “Deportation Command” similar to America’s ICE.
“Our country is being invaded … Make no mistake, as Home Secretary (interior minister) I will end and indeed reverse this invasion,” Yusuf declared to assembled reporters at the English Channel port city.
The ruling Labour Party responded by highlighting its own immigration enforcement efforts, noting it has expelled nearly 60,000 individuals without legal status since taking office in 2024.
“Reform wants to divide our country, not deliver for the British people,” stated Labour party chair Anna Turley.
Though Reform holds just eight seats in Britain’s 650-member parliament, the party expresses growing confidence about defeating both Labour and the Conservative opposition in a nation where immigration ranks among voters’ primary concerns.
Government statistics show that while Britain’s overall net migration decreased last year, Channel crossings have increased. More than 41,000 asylum seekers arrived via small boats in 2025, marking the second-highest total ever recorded.
In Reform’s most comprehensive immigration policy outline to date, Yusuf proposed an “Illegal Migration Mass Deportation Act” that would mandate government deportations of undocumented migrants while preventing judicial interference.
The proposed Deportation Command would have capacity to remove up to 288,000 people annually, according to Yusuf, who drew parallels to ICE while claiming Britain would avoid similar controversies that have plagued the U.S. agency.
ICE operations in America have faced significant criticism, particularly following incidents where agents killed two American citizens in separate Minneapolis encounters. While U.S. officials supported the agents involved, ICE has since reduced large-scale street operations.
Additional Reform proposals include ending benefit payments to foreign nationals and imposing visa restrictions on countries like Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan for allegedly refusing to accept returned migrants.
