Reform UK’s new home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, spoke in Dover about the party’s immigration plans and tried to calm concerns that those plans would mirror controversial policies in the United States. Yusuf was making his first big speech since being appointed to the role and stood alongside party leader Nigel Farage as he outlined what Reform would do if it were in power.
The main idea Yusuf pushed was a bold and strict approach to people in Britain who are in the country illegally. He said Reform would set up a new organisation to find, detain and send migrants back to their home countries. This organisation would be called UK Deportation Command, and Yusuf said it would be able to deport hundreds of thousands of people every year. Reform has claimed that it could deport as many as 288,000 migrants a year and more than 600,000 over its first term in government.
Right away, some commentators and critics compared this idea to America’s ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), an agency known for controversial immigration enforcement there. Yusuf rejected the comparison, saying Reform’s plan is not the same as the U.S. system. He argued that policing in the UK is very different from policing in the U.S. and that the new UK agency would not carry weapons in the same way. He also said Britain’s system of law and order is based on consent and cooperation, rather than force.
Still, some groups strongly disagreed with Yusuf’s assurances. Amnesty International UK warned that the proposed force could end up operating in a way that creates fear and discrimination, with aggressive tactics and little accountability. Critics said the plan sounds too similar to the U.S. approach, even if Yusuf said it wouldn’t be identical.
Yusuf used strong language about migration in his speech. He said the UK is being “invaded” by migrants and that the party’s deportation policy would be the biggest in British history. He explained that Reform would also use “visa freezes” — meaning the government would stop issuing visas — to certain countries that refuse to take back people the UK wants to deport. These countries include Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria.
In defending his choice of words, Yusuf said people should look up the definition of “invasion” in a dictionary, and that it simply means a large group entering a place in a way that is not wanted. He said he expected pushback from critics, but argued that public patience had run out with the current situation at the UK’s borders.
The Reform UK plan also includes a promise to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Yusuf claimed that the ECHR sometimes prevents the UK from deporting people the party considers illegal migrants. He argued that British citizens’ rights have been placed “beneath those of criminals” because of the treaty. Leaving the ECHR would be a major legal change and would likely face criticism from human rights organisations.
Reform UK says this approach would make the UK’s immigration system stronger and more efficient. They also argue that removing people who are in the country illegally would reduce pressure on public services and communities. Yusuf and Farage said the new Deportation Command would be a central part of what they call Operation Restoring Justice, a campaign to overhaul immigration enforcement if Reform wins a future general election.
However, opponents say the proposals could harm families, create fear among migrant communities, and damage Britain’s international reputation. They argue that the aggressive language and tactics suggested by Reform could lead to social division and legal challenges. Critics have also raised concerns that such deportation efforts could separate families and disrupt lives without addressing deeper issues in the immigration system.
In summary, Reform UK’s announcement in Dover outlined a hardline immigration plan focused on mass deportations and new enforcement powers. Yusuf defended the plan as necessary and distinct from the U.S. system, while critics see it as extreme and potentially harmful.
