"What are you going to do with them?"
Immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal has weighed in on the government’s migration plans, questioning how it would stop people smugglers.
Shabana Mahmood plans to impose Trump-style visa bans on three African countries if they fail to take back illegal migrants, as part of “sweeping reforms” of the UK’s immigration system.
Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo will face strict visa penalties. The ban would block tourists, VIPs and business people from travelling to the UK if co-operation on removals does not improve.
Ms Mahmood said: “In Britain, we play by the rules.
“When I said there would be penalties for countries that do not take back criminals and illegal immigrants, I meant it.
“My message to foreign governments today is clear: accept the return of your citizens or lose the privilege of entering our country.”
She also claimed that immigration is “tearing” the UK apart.
The move was reportedly inspired by Donald Trump’s homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem. She has overseen the mass deportation strategy used in the US.
Ms Mahmood will address MPs on November 17 as she unveils “the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times”. Officials say the scale of change is the largest since the Second World War.
However, Mr Bhangal asked how it would stop human trafficking.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “How’s it going to stop the people smugglers?
“Once again, I always say you don’t stop drug dealing by locking up all the drug users or punishing all the drug users.
“How’s it going to stop the people smugglers who earn more money out of people smuggling than all of drug smuggling.”
Mr Bhangal explained that the job of such criminals is to get victims into the UK, adding:
“They don’t care what happens to them after they enter the UK.”
He called Ms Mahmood’s plans “potential deterrants” but said they would not put off people smugglers.
Presenter Nicky Campbell argued that appeals would be restricted for those people and that “there is far more chance of them being deported”.
Mr Bhangal stated that although the governments have been sending back thousands of illegal immigrants, there are still thousands who are still in the UK.
He asked: “What are you going to do with them? Are you going to build more detention centres? Are you going to do Trump-style ICE and start rounding up people on the street?”
Mr Bhangal added that the plans do not provide practical solutions and will not stop the small boats.
One listener agreed with Mr Bhangal’s points and said the priority should be stopping the “small boats at the source”.
The listener suggested a joint plan between the UK and France involving coastal patrols to stop the small boats from leaving France.
The plans follow the Danish model. The aim is to make the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants and to speed up removals.
However, according to Mr Bhangal, Denmark does not have a small boats problem.
A new bill will change how article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in immigration cases. Ministers say there has been a rise in rights-based appeals used to resist deportation.
Only those with an immediate family member in the UK would be able to rely on article 8 in future. The home secretary, who has been in the job for 73 days, also wants to stop multiple appeals against failed asylum claims.
Refugees would face a 20-year wait before applying for permanent settlement.
The Home Office says the current system has become a “golden ticket”. It argues that the UK has seen a surge in asylum claims from people travelling through safe countries and on to dangerous small boats.
Refugee status would become temporary and subject to frequent review. People would be removed once their home country is declared safe.
Housing and weekly allowances would no longer be guaranteed. Ministers say the changes will also create new safe and legal routes to Britain. The aim is to cut English Channel crossings.
A new independent body, similar to one in Denmark, would fast-track the removal of dangerous criminals. Last-minute appeals would be processed much faster.
Ms Mahmood has rejected accusations that the plans are racist, insisting that they are part of a “moral mission”.
She said illegal migration was causing “huge divides” in the UK. She added:
“I do believe we need to act if we are to retain public consent for having an asylum system at all.”
One listener hit out at the migration plans, claiming the UK does not want migrants in the country, despite being a safe country for those fleeing war and conflict.
Weighing in, Harjap Singh Bhangal said: “There is an argument to say that Britain has the best human rights record in the world and people do want to come here.”
He pointed to other countries, such as Turkey and Pakistan, which accept more asylum seekers.
Mr Bhangal explained that if there was a situation where refugees were told to stop in the first safe country they entered, the whole asylum system would collapse.
He added that the UK has “always needed immigrants”.
Home Office figures show 39,075 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far in 2025. The total has already passed the numbers for 2023 and 2024. It remains below the peak of 45,774 recorded in 2022.
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