“If You’re Here Illegally, You Will Be Detained and Deported” — Kemi Badenoch Unveils Radical Borders Plan in Sweeping Immigration Reform Agenda

…aims at detaining and deporting 150,000 illegal migrants annually

Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has announced what she described as the “toughest reforms Britain has ever seen” in immigration policy, introducing a sweeping new Radical Borders Plan aimed at detaining and deporting 150,000 illegal migrants annually.

In a video message posted on her X account on Sunday, Badenoch outlined the details of the aggressive immigration overhaul, which includes the creation of a new Removals Force modelled after the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to completely revamp the UK’s border enforcement framework.

“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” Badenoch declared in the video caption.

Badenoch, who has increasingly positioned herself as a tough conservative voice on immigration, strongly criticised both Conservative and Labour governments for what she described as years of failed migration management and weak border control.

She accused the Labour Party in particular of record levels of illegal crossings and reckless spending on asylum accommodation, saying:

“Today, I’m launching our Radical Borders Plan, the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen to border laws and operations. 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.”

According to details released with the announcement, the new immigration framework will introduce unprecedented legal and operational changes to curb illegal migration.

Under the proposed plan:

– Asylum claims from illegal entrants will be banned outright.

– The Human Rights Act will be repealed, and the UK will withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

– All illegal arrivals will be deported within seven days of detention.

– Legal barriers preventing mass deportations will be removed.

– Visa sanctions will be imposed on countries that refuse to repatriate their nationals.

Badenoch also revealed that the new Removals Force would be empowered to “shut down the asylum hotel racket,” saving taxpayers billions and restoring public confidence in border enforcement.

“Only the Conservatives have a serious, credible plan to deliver stronger borders. 

“If you come here illegally, you will be deported,”she concluded.

However, Badenoch’s uncompromising rhetoric has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and opposition figures. During an appearance on the BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg,” she faced tough questioning about where deported migrants would be sent.

“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,” Badenoch replied.

When pressed further, she added bluntly: “They will go back to where they came from.”

Reports by Sky News indicate that the proposed Removals Force will replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement unit and will be granted sweeping new powers, including the use of facial recognition technology without prior warning to identify and remove undocumented migrants.

If approved by Parliament, Badenoch’s plan would represent one of the most radical transformations of UK immigration policy in decades, potentially redefining Britain’s approach to border control, asylum rights, and international human rights obligations.

The announcement has already ignited fierce debate across the political spectrum, setting the stage for a defining policy clash ahead of the next general election.