Reform UK Plans Review of 400,000 Asylum Grants for Deportation

Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage, announced on Monday a plan to review all successful asylum claims granted over the past five years, targeting up to 400,000 individuals for potential deportation if the party gains power in the next general election. The policy, unveiled at a press conference, focuses on those who entered the United Kingdom illegally or overstayed visas, aiming to revoke their status and enforce removals through a new agency called the UK Deportation Command.

Under the proposal, Home Office officials would examine entry methods, such as arrivals by small boat across the English Channel, concealment in vehicles, or transitions from other visas like work or study permits. Claims would also be reassessed if an applicant's country of origin is now considered safe by government standards. Those affected, including family members, would receive a period to depart voluntarily; non-compliance would lead to detention and forced removal. Reform UK estimates that the majority of the 400,000 cases fall into these categories, based on Home Office data showing about 55 percent of recent asylum applicants arrived without proper documentation or via irregular routes.