Reform UK proposes ICE-style deportation agency on migration

Britain’s populist Reform UK party on Monday presented new immigration proposals, including the creation of a deportation agency modeled on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as it seeks to position itself as a governing alternative ahead of a national election due by August 2029.

The party, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, said it would establish a new “Deportation Command” to remove large numbers of migrants residing in the country without legal status. Zia Yusuf, Reform’s policy chief for home affairs, described immigration levels as a national security concern and said the agency could carry out up to 288,000 deportations annually.

Yusuf outlined plans for an “Illegal Migration Mass Deportation Act” that would require authorities to deport undocumented migrants and limit judicial intervention in such cases. He also said a Reform government would consider withdrawing from international human rights agreements and suspend social benefits for foreign nationals without legal status.

The proposals include possible visa restrictions for countries such as Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan if they refuse to accept the return of their citizens found to be residing illegally in Britain.

Reform currently holds eight seats in the 650-member British parliament but has gained support in opinion polls. The party argues that stricter immigration controls are needed as migration remains a major public concern.

Britain’s governing Labour Party rejected the proposals, saying it is already addressing immigration challenges. According to government figures, nearly 60,000 people without legal residency have been removed since Labour took office in 2024.

Official data show that while overall net migration to Britain declined last year, irregular arrivals across the English Channel increased. More than 41,000 asylum seekers reached Britain by small boats in 2025, marking the second-highest level on record.

Reform’s proposals drew comparisons with U.S. immigration enforcement practices. Yusuf said he did not expect similar developments to those seen in the United States if such an agency were introduced in Britain.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on protests in the United States following intensified federal immigration enforcement and the fatal January shooting of Renée Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota.