Nigel Farage says he wants Donald Trump’s border tsar (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has said he wants to “hijack” Donald Trump’s ICE tsar to secure Britain’s borders. Reform UK‘s leader, speaking at an event in the US attended by Tom Homan, quipped: “I’ve got terrible news for you. We’re hijacking Tom Homan and taking him back with us to secure our borders.”
Mr Homan is a key ally of US President Donald Trump, who has described him as a “border tsar”. The 64 year old is a staunch defender of Mr Trump’s migrant crackdown and an adviser at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Get the latest politics news – straight from our team in Westminster and more
Invalid email
You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info.
He takes a hardline approach to migration, having told GB News previously that he would “turn them around” when asked what he would do to curb small boat arrivals in the UK.
ICE itself has come under scrutiny after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis locals Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal agents.
More than 30 people died in custody last year and 19 ICE officers have died since 2020, according to figures from Congress and ICE respectively.
Reform UK has pledged to take a hardline on both legal and illegal immigration, including by intercepting small boats in the Channel and returning them to France.
Mr Farage‘s outfit also wants mass deportations of anyone who arrives through unofficial routes and revoke the asylum status of claims granted in the last five years deemed irregular.
Reform has said it will bring in new immigration spot checks at the UK-Ireland land border and fine transport firms £10,000 per passenger found to be entering Northern Ireland illegally.
MP Danny Kruger said the move aims to stop “illegal and unvetted dangerous criminals” using the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as a backdoor route to the UK. He insisted it would not be a border check.
A Home Office spokesperson said “intelligence-led” operations already take place in the Common Travel Area – a long-standing open-border arrangement covering the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
An analysis by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of small boat crossings found that in the first half of 2026, the number of people arriving in the UK by small boat fell 41%.
The number of arrests linked to organised immigration crime in the year to the end of April 2026 rose by more than 55% and since late 2023 more than 1,600 boats or engines have been seized, according to the NCA.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Anna Turley said previously that the analysis shows the Government is making it harder for people smuggling gangs to operate.
She said: “With crossings down significantly on last year, and the lowest arrivals over the summer for six years, our plan is bearing fruit.
“We have boosted officer numbers on French beaches, seized more than 1,100 small boats and engines and are reducing the pull factors drawing migrants across the Channel.
“This includes making refugee status temporary, cracking down on illegal working and returning more people without the right to be here.
“But we are not complacent. We will continue our relentless efforts to prevent these dangerous crossings and put those responsible behind bars.”
Nigel Farage ‘Wants to Bring ICE Tsar to UK’ to Solve Immigration Crisis
Nigel Farage has reignited Britain’s immigration debate after declaring that he wants to bring Tom Homan, Donald Trump’s hardline immigration adviser known as the “border tsar”, to the United Kingdom to help secure its borders. The Reform UK leader made the remark during an event in the United States in September 2026, joking that he wanted to “hijack” Homan and take him back to Britain.
The comment has drawn attention to Farage’s increasingly hardline approach to immigration and his interest in the methods used by the United States to detain and deport people who lack legal permission to remain in the country. It has also raised questions about whether an American model of immigration enforcement could be transferred to Britain, where the legal system, border arrangements and international obligations are different.
For Farage, the message is clear: he wants voters to believe that a Reform UK government would take a tougher approach to illegal migration than its predecessors. Critics, however, question whether the proposals would be practical, affordable or compatible with the protections Britain is legally required to uphold.
Who Is Tom Homan, and Why Does Farage Want Him?
Tom Homan is a prominent US immigration enforcement figure and a close ally of President Donald Trump. He has served in senior immigration roles and become closely associated with policies designed to increase detention and removals.
Homan has defended aggressive enforcement, arguing that immigration laws must be applied consistently and that people without legal status should not be allowed to remain indefinitely. His approach has also attracted substantial criticism, particularly over the treatment of migrant families and the consequences of strict enforcement policies.
Farage praised Homan’s experience and suggested that he could help Britain strengthen its border security. His remark was partly humorous, but it reflected a broader political position: Reform UK wants to borrow elements of the American approach to immigration enforcement and apply them to the UK’s circumstances.
The idea is not entirely new. In February 2026, Reform outlined plans for a dedicated UK Deportation Command modelled in part on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The proposed agency would be responsible for identifying, detaining and removing people who have no legal right to remain in Britain.
However, inviting an adviser to offer expertise would not, by itself, change British law or give US officials authority to enforce immigration rules in the UK. Any British programme would have to be designed, funded and operated under British legal arrangements.
That distinction is important because political rhetoric about importing an enforcement model can sound much simpler than the practical work required to implement it.
Farage’s Plan for a Tougher Immigration System
Farage has made immigration one of Reform UK’s central political issues. His party argues that successive governments have failed to maintain effective control over the country’s borders and that the system for removing people who have no legal right to stay is too slow.
Reform has proposed creating a large-scale deportation operation, expanding detention capacity and making it easier for the authorities to remove people whose immigration claims have been rejected. The party has also discussed changes to the UK’s relationship with international human rights arrangements and the rules governing asylum claims.
Its February proposal for a UK Deportation Command included an ambition to deport up to 288,000 people annually. The party has presented this as part of a wider programme to reverse illegal migration and strengthen enforcement.
In October 2026, Farage announced another controversial proposal: suspending asylum claims for up to five years if Reform wins the next general election. The party said it would declare roughly 90,000 pending applications void and automatically reject new claims under the proposed system, while seeking to return failed applicants to their home countries or safe third countries.
These proposals represent a political programme, not an existing government policy. Their implementation would require legislation, substantial administrative capacity and arrangements for dealing with people who cannot lawfully or practically be removed.
The plans have also attracted criticism from refugee organisations, which warn that blanket restrictions and large-scale removals could expose people to persecution or other serious harm if their individual circumstances are not properly assessed.
Farage’s supporters see the proposals as a response to public frustration over small-boat crossings and the cost of asylum accommodation. Opponents argue that stricter enforcement must still respect due process and the principle that people fleeing persecution have a right to have their protection claims considered.
The debate therefore concerns not only how many people can be removed, but also which legal procedures would apply, how decisions would be challenged and what safeguards would remain in place.