London: Reform UK party leader and Member of Parliament, Nigel Farage has said that if he comes to power, he will deport about a million illegal migrants during his first term. He also stated that strict measures would be taken to expel those who have entered Britain illegally. According to him, the plan would not only save hundreds of thousands of pounds but also significantly reduce threats to national security. Farage added that those deported would be provided with free air tickets and £1,000 each. He argued that British citizens are not obliged to carry the burden of those who have entered the country illegally for the rest of their lives.
Mass deportation plan and cost calculations
Farage said that the cases of 400,000 people granted asylum over the past five years would be reviewed. Among them, individuals who arrived illegally and those who overstayed their visas would have their permission to remain in the UK revoked. In addition, he stated that 600,000 people who entered the UK illegally for permanent residence would be deported. He estimated that even after providing each deportee with a free flight ticket and £1,000, the policy would save the government £14.3 billion over five years. Farage further claimed that the vast majority of those ordered to leave would do so voluntarily and peacefully. He also said that he had reached an arrangement with the Taliban to facilitate the return of people from Afghanistan.
Responding to a question on whether the British public would support a mass deportation similar to that implemented in the United States under Donald Trump, Farage said that British people value transparency and justice. He added that most individuals deported from the US had left voluntarily, and those sent back to stable countries with limited financial support would continue their lives there.
Criticism and political response
However, Imran Hussain, director of foreign affairs at the Refugee Council, described the proposal as neither serious nor practical. He warned that reviewing the files of hundreds of thousands of refugees would overwhelm and potentially break down the immigration system. Hussain also pointed out that significant public funds would be spent on legal proceedings and administrative processes. The Liberal Democrats echoed similar concerns, questioning both the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the plan.
In response, Farage’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said that if they came to power, they would withdraw from international human rights agreements, making legal challenges largely irrelevant. He added that there would be no need to recruit additional staff to review asylum cases, and that the existing workforce would be sufficient to implement the policy.
