The leader of the Conservative Party and Member of Parliament, Kemi Badenoch, has announced an unprecedented plan to reform Britain’s border and immigration policy, describing it as “the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen.”
In a statement shared on her verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Badenoch revealed her “Radical Borders Plan”, which aims to detain and deport up to 150,000 illegal migrants each year, signaling a hardline shift in the United Kingdom’s immigration strategy.
According to Badenoch, the plan introduces a Removals Force, modeled after the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement unit. The new body will possess expanded powers, including the authority to employ facial recognition technology without prior notice to identify and remove undocumented migrants.
“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” Badenoch stated.
The Conservative leader criticized both past Labour and Conservative administrations for failing to control the flow of illegal immigrants across Britain’s borders.
She declared:
“Successive governments have failed on immigration. Labour promised to smash the gangs. Instead, in just a year, they delivered record small boat crossings — over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, billions wasted. It’s pure weakness. Britain needs a serious, credible plan and the backbone to deliver it.”
End to Asylum Claims for Illegal Entrants
Under the proposed Radical Borders Plan, asylum applications from illegal entrants would be banned entirely. Badenoch further revealed her intention to repeal the Human Rights Act and withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), in order to “remove all legal obstacles” that currently delay deportations.
She added that illegal arrivals would be deported within seven days, while countries refusing to accept repatriations would face visa sanctions.
“Only the Conservatives have a serious, credible plan to deliver stronger borders. If you come here illegally, you will be deported,” she concluded.
Criticism and Political Reactions
In an interview on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programme Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch came under scrutiny when asked about the destinations for deported migrants.
“I’m tired of all of these irrelevant questions about where they should go. They will go back to where they should be or another country, but they should not be here,” she replied, adding, “They will go back to where they came from.”
Analysts say Badenoch’s plan, if passed, would represent one of the most sweeping overhauls of UK immigration policy in modern times.
okay.ng reports that the move has sparked debate across political and human rights circles, with critics warning that repealing the Human Rights Act could expose Britain to diplomatic and legal challenges.
The proposed measures, according to political observers, could redefine the United Kingdom’s relationship with European institutions on migration and human rights.
