Mahmood Plans Visa Bans and 20-Year Asylum Delays as UK Crossings Hit New High – Will It Fix a Broken System?

Illegal migration is 'tearing the country apart', Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has warned, as she prepares to unleash one of the most hard-hitting overhauls of Britain's asylum system in years.

In a dramatic intervention ahead of Monday's announcement, Mahmood is set to unveil plans that would force refugees to wait up to 20 years before gaining permanent settlement, face constant status reviews, and see entire nations hit with UK visa bans if they refuse to take back their nationals.

The shake-up comes as migrant arrivals hit their highest levels this year, fuelling fresh pressure on ministers to fix what Mahmood insists is a 'broken system'.

Record Migrant Arrivals Pile Pressure on Government

New Home Office data reveals 1,069 migrants reached the UK by small boat in the past week alone, pushing this year's total to more than 39,000, already surpassing the full-year numbers for both 2023 and 2024.

The relentless rise in Channel crossings has reignited debate over Britain's asylum policies, with ministers warning the strain on public services, local councils and border resources is becoming unsustainable.

Refugees Face Two Decades in Limbo Under New Rules

Under current rules, refugees can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years. Mahmood's plan would extend that to 20 years, with reviews every two-and-a-half years to determine whether a person still needs protection.

She maintains that those who come legally, secure work and contribute to society could be fast-tracked for earlier settlement, though details are still emerging. Her approach mirrors Denmark's tougher asylum model, which relies heavily on regularly renewed temporary permits.

Nations That Refuse Deportations to Face Visa Bans

In one of the most controversial elements of the package, Mahmood is expected to announce that the UK will halt visas for citizens of Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo unless their governments dramatically improve cooperation on removals.

A Home Office source told the BBC the three nations were being targeted due to 'unacceptably low co-operation and obstructive returns processes'. Thousands of migrants, including individuals with criminal records, from these countries are currently in the UK without viable removal routes, sparking calls for tougher action.

Mahmood Calls Crackdown a 'Moral Mission' to Restore Trust

In a BBC interview, Mahmood said her reforms are a 'moral mission', accusing parts of the current system of allowing some asylum seekers to 'flout the rules, abuse the system and get away with it'.

She claimed criminal gangs continue to lure migrants with false promises of free hotels, food and financial support, a narrative she says remains a powerful driver behind risky Channel crossings.

Mahmood also intends to make housing and weekly allowances discretionary for asylum seekers already entitled to work but choosing not to support themselves.

Experts Warn of 'Years of Anxiety' for Refugees

Charities and migration specialists have sounded the alarm. Enver Solomon of the Refugee Council said a 20-year settlement wait would trap people in 'limbo and in tense anxiety for many, many years'.

Researchers at the Migration Observatory noted that asylum seekers often have little understanding of destination-country policies, making it uncertain whether such a crackdown would deter crossings.

A Syrian refugee living under Denmark's model told the BBC that temporary status 'can be taken away from you at any moment', warning that it makes integration far more difficult.