UK Conservatives Plan £1.6bn ICE-Style Removals Force to Deport 150,000 Yearly

The British Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch, has announced plans to create a new "Removals Force" modeled after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, aimed at tackling illegal immigration by deporting 150,000 people annually. This new agency will receive a £1.6 billion budget, nearly doubling current funding, and be granted sweeping powers including facial recognition technology without warning, and close integration with police who will conduct immigration checks during stops and arrests. The plan also includes abolishing the immigration tribunal, limiting asylum eligibility, removing legal aid for immigration cases, and withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, reflecting a broad hardening of immigration and border policies. Conservative support has waned, with polling showing a significant lead for the far-right Reform UK party, prompting the Tories to adopt this tougher stance on immigration as part of their strategy to regain political ground. However, the ICE model is controversial due to past criticisms of racial profiling and wrongful arrests, and the use of facial recognition technology faces privacy concerns even within the Conservative Party. These developments come amid heightened security concerns following a terror attack in Manchester and broader government efforts to restrict protests and strengthen community integration.