Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is preparing to introduce what the Home Office describes as the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times.
Core Measures of the Immigration Overhaul
In a statement to MPs scheduled for Monday, Ms Mahmood is expected to outline a series of measures designed to make it significantly easier to remove and deport individuals who are in the UK illegally. The reforms aim to address what she perceives as excessive generosity and systemic barriers within the current system that have made deportations extremely difficult.
The proposed changes are largely modelled on the Danish immigration system, which boasts a 95% deportation rate for failed asylum seekers. Key elements of the Danish approach that the UK is considering include tighter rules on family reunions and restrictions that limit some refugees to a temporary stay rather than permanent settlement.
Targeting Legal Loopholes and 'Pull Factors'
A central part of the reform package involves a potential review of the UK's relationship with human rights law. A Home Office source indicated that Ms Mahmood is mulling reforms to the European Convention on Human Rights to end the abuse of the system that leads to unjustified claims intended to delay or stop deportations.
Furthermore, modern slavery laws are set for an overhaul. The changes, as reported by The Telegraph, will require migrants to make a claim that they have been a victim of modern slavery as soon as they arrive in the UK. This aims to prevent such claims from being raised unexpectedly later in the process, a tactic which has frequently resulted in delayed deportations.
The government also plans to increase the number of offences that qualify foreign criminals for automatic removal from the UK. Judges will be expected to prioritise public safety in cases where migrants claim that deportation would breach their right to family life or expose them to risk of inhuman treatment in their home country.
Deportation Success Amid Rising Crossings
Ahead of the announcement, the Home Office released new figures highlighting their enforcement efforts. The data shows that 48,560 people have been removed from the UK since Labour came to power. This figure, which includes failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals, and others with no right to remain, represents a 23% increase compared to the 16 months before the 2024 election.
Ms Mahmood stated, We've ramped up enforcement, deported foreign criminals from our streets, and saved taxpayers millions.
However, these efforts are set against a backdrop of persistently high small boat crossings. According to Home Office figures, 39,075 people have made the journey so far in 2025. This is a 19% increase on the same point in 2024 and a 43% increase compared to 2023.
