"we will safely remove you somewhere else."
Rishi Sunak revealed his plans to tackle the illegal migration problem during an interview with Piers Morgan.
The Prime Minister said that under his plan to revamp the system, asylum requests will be heard in “days or weeks”.
According to Mr Sunak, measures to “break the cycle” include a new agreement with Albania, which is thought to be the country of origin for 30% of illegal migrants, and a tighter collaboration with France.
Furthermore, he said that the government’s intention to transfer new arrivals to Rwanda for processing will be carried out.
Tory MPs have warned that failure to get a grip on the migrant situation could result in defeat for the Conservatives in the next general election.
Therefore, ministers have made controlling the flow of small boats across the English Channel a key priority.
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Sunak said to Piers Morgan:
“The system that we need, the system that I want to introduce, is one whereby if you come here illegally, you should be swiftly detained.
“Then in a matter of days or weeks, we will hear your claim, not months and years, and then we will safely remove you somewhere else.
“And if we do that, that’s how we’ll break the cycle.”
When asked how he would go about doing it, the PM said:
“So, look, in the first 100 days what have we done, what have I done?
“I’ve got a new deal with France, which is increasing the number of patrols that are happening on French beaches, which is making a difference already.
“Secondly, I’ve got a brand new deal with Albania.
“Albania accounted for 30 per cent of all illegal migrants.”
Piers Morgan responded and called the figure of Albanians “ridiculous”.
To which Sunak replied: ”Of course that’s ridiculous.”
Discussing his plans for UK immigration, Sunak continued:
“But I’ll work with the Albanians to put in place a new deal which means for people coming from Albania illegally.
“We’ll be able to remove them safely back to Albania and that is already happening.
“We’re putting illegal migrants from Albania back on flights and that will ratchet up over the year.
“And that’s a tangible improvement in the situation. That deal is a new deal.”
To strengthen the system, Rishi Sunak highlighted new laws he is recommending to put into place.
He said: “Very soon we’ll be introducing new laws into Parliament which deliver the system that I explained.
“The system, which says if you come here illegally, you’re not going to be able to stay here.
“So, what that new law will say is, if you come here illegally, for an illegal migrant here, then you will not be able to stay here.
“We will be able to detain you and then we will hear your claim in a matter of days or weeks, not months or years.
“We will have the ability in the vast majority of cases to send you to an alternative safe country, be that where you come from, if it’s safe, like Albania, or, indeed, Rwanda.”
When Piers Morgan asked the Prime Minister whether the Rwanda concept was “ever going to happen”, he replied: “Yes.”