Conservative Party pledges £1.6bn ICE-style ‘removals force’ to deport 150,000 illegal migrants a year

The Conservatives are pledging to create a new “removals force” to detain and remove 150,000 a year as part of a broad plan to tackle illegal immigration to the UK.

Modelled on the “successful approach” of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, this new force would be given “sweeping new powers”, and over £1bn in funding.

The pledge is part of the Conservative Party’s broad new plans to stop illegal migration to the UK, set to be unveiled by Kemi Badenoch on the first day of their annual conference on Sunday, where reducing immigration and creating “Strong Borders” will be one of the key themes.

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Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips ahead of her speech, shadow home secretary Chris Philp insisted this is a “detailed and comprehensive plan to get control of this country’s borders”.

However, Ms Badenoch did not provide specifics when asked on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg where migrants being removed would go, claiming that question was “irrelevant”.

She said: “I’m tired of all of these irrelevant questions about where should they go. They will go back to where they should do or another country, but they should not be here.”

Pressed again, she added: “They will go back to where they came from.”

The new “removals force” that she will unveil later will replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement (IE) and will be given broad new powers, including being able to use facial recognition without warning in order to spot illegal immigrants.

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It will be given funding of £1.6bn a year, up from the existing £820m a year, to increase the number of removals annually from 34,000 to 150,000 – which would represent “at least 750,000 removals” across a five-year parliament.

The Tories say this increase in funding would come from the closure of asylum hotels and “tackling the wider costs of our out-of-control asylum system”.

Expanding the use of live facial recognition technology is likely to attract criticism from within the Tory Party itself, on the grounds of it being a threat to individual freedom and privacy.

And ICE in the US has been heavily criticised by politicians and the public in recent months, with the agency accused of arresting both legal migrants and US citizens and targeting people based on their race.

The Trump administration has faced heavy criticism and lawsuits for deporting illegal migrants and foreign offenders to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison, the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), including a man who was wrongly sent there, having been granted permission to remain in the US.

Nigel Farage has said violent UK offenders could be jailed overseas under his plans to cut crime by half. The Reform UK leader named El Salvador as a likely destination, though he said he has not held conversations with officials there and “multiple” partners would be considered.

Tories to withdraw from multiple conventions

In addition to confirming plans to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), announced on Saturday, Ms Badenoch will also vow to fully repeal the Human Rights Act, and leave the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

This, the Tories say, would “end the legal blocks that allow illegal immigrants, and in some cases foreign criminals, to stay in the UK based on flimsy claims”.

A radical overhaul of the asylum system would see refugee status granted only to those threatened by a foreign government, and those fleeing conflict or “less tolerant” laws on religion or sexuality would not be eligible, with the party saying “few people will qualify”.

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The plan will also see the immigration tribunal abolished, with all decisions on migration taken by the Home Office with only limited rights of appeal in cases where officials have acted without statutory authority.

Immigration cases will be denied legal aid, with the Tories accusing solicitors of having “defrauded” the UK by “coaching” applicants and arguing there is “no need for lawyers” as people “should simply tell the truth about their circumstances”.

‘Labour is fixing the Tories’ mess’

The plans come as Ms Badenoch faces continued pressure on her right flank from Reform UK, which has already pledged to leave the ECHR and deport up to 600,000 people over five years if it comes to power.

But the party leader said the plans put forward by Nigel Farage’s party are “nothing but announcements that fall apart on arrivals”.

She also said the Labour government offers “failed gimmicks”, adding: “Our Stronger Borders plan is serious and credible and backed by a comprehensive legal analysis. That is the difference the next Conservative government will deliver.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Conservatives’ message on immigration is: we got everything wrong, we won’t apologise, now trust us.

“It won’t wash – Kemi Badenoch’s party enabled record high net migration as removals plummeted, opened over 400 asylum hotels and wasted £700 million of taxpayers’ money to send just four volunteers to Rwanda.

“This Labour government is fixing the Tories’ mess by smashing the people-smuggling gangs running the vile small boats trade, closing asylum hotels, deporting foreign criminals and signing international returns deals to bring order to Britain’s borders.”

Hear more about the plans from shadow home secretary Chris Philp, live at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips from 8.30am.