(CROWBOROUGH, EAST SUSSEX) Hundreds of residents lined the roads around a disused army barracks here in November 2025, chanting “Crowborough says NO” as they marched against plans to house 600 migrants on the edge of town. Waving Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags, they joined a wave of migrant protests that has spread across the United Kingdom this year, fuelled by rising concern over illegal immigration and a blunt warning from the new Home Secretary that irregular arrivals are “tearing our country apart.”
Nationwide wave of protests and local clashes
Since April 2025, anti-immigration protests have erupted in towns and cities across the country, often in direct response to government plans to place asylum seekers in hotels, flats and former military sites. Police say some demonstrations have turned violent, with at least 41 officers injured and more than 180 arrests as tempers flared outside planned accommodation sites.
Far-right groups including Britain First, UKIP, the Homeland Party and Patriotic Alternative have taken a prominent role, helping to organise rallies and amplify local anger online.
The scenes in Crowborough were mirrored in Inverness, where residents gathered outside Cameron Barracks to oppose plans to house more than 300 asylum seekers in the Scottish Highlands. Protesters at both locations repeated slogans such as “If in doubt, keep ’em out,” reflecting a mood among many that the asylum system is out of control and that small communities are being asked to shoulder too much.
- Some residents said they feared pressure on schools and GP surgeries.
- Others voiced safety concerns, despite officials insisting there was no evidence asylum seekers posed a threat.
The Home Secretary’s position
Into this tense atmosphere stepped Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has branded the current asylum system “broken” and “out of control.” In a series of interviews, Mahmood said illegal migration is “tearing our country apart”, warning that rising irregular arrivals are driving division and deepening mistrust between communities.
Her comments were striking not only for their sharp tone but also because Mahmood is herself the child of immigrants. She has rejected claims that the government’s approach is racist, describing her plans as a “moral mission” to restore order and fairness to the system.
“The system must work ‘for those who come here legally and for the people already living in our communities,’” Mahmood has said, acknowledging public fears.
Rising numbers and statistics
Mahmood’s stance comes against a backdrop of sharply rising numbers:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Detected irregular arrivals (year ending June 2025) | 49,341 (27% increase on previous 12 months) |
| Proportion arriving on small boats | 88% |
| Total asylum claims | 111,000 (highest level since 2002) |
| Common nationalities among claimants | Afghans, Iranians, Syrians, Eritreans, Sudanese |
These statistics have been seized upon by both critics and supporters of the government’s tougher line. The mode of travel—small boats—has become a particular political flashpoint.
Proposed reforms to asylum rules
The Home Secretary has unveiled sweeping reforms to asylum rules. Key proposals include:
- Temporary refugee status — refugee status would become temporary, with each case reviewed every 30 months.
- Return when countries labelled safe — people whose home countries are later classed as safe would be required to leave the UK, even if they have begun to settle.
- Inspiration from Denmark — officials say the model draws inspiration from Denmark’s tougher approach to long-term protection.
- Targeted visa bans — the government is considering Trump-style visa bans on certain countries, echoing measures previously used by President Trump in the United States 🇺🇸, though ministers insist any such steps would be tightly targeted.
Criticisms and legal concerns
Critics argue the reforms will create long-term uncertainty and legal challenges:
- Making refugee status temporary may trap people in limbo, preventing them from planning their lives or integrating fully.
- Refugee groups warn constant reviews will create stress for families who have fled war or persecution.
- Legal experts question whether blanket rules forcing people to leave once a country is labelled safe will respect individual risks (e.g., political activists or minority groups).
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests the plans are likely to trigger a surge in legal challenges and place extra pressure on an already stretched appeals system.
Local political pressure and examples
There is also vocal pressure from anti-immigration campaigners and some politicians. In July, more than 1,000 anti-immigration protesters gathered in Waterlooville after the government proposed housing asylum seekers in flats above local shops.
- Suella Braverman, MP for Fareham and Waterlooville and a former Home Secretary, backed the campaign.
- A petition she supported attracted over 10,000 signatures, and the plan was eventually dropped.
- Braverman has repeatedly criticised the new government’s handling of small boats and urged ministers to go further, arguing patience in many towns is wearing thin.
Public sentiment and the broader debate
Public concern is not limited to organised rallies. Polls and local meetings suggest many people worry that irregular migration is stretching services and deepening a sense of unfairness—particularly among residents on long waiting lists for housing or health care.
Mahmood has acknowledged these fears and framed reform as necessary to make the system work for both legal arrivals and existing communities. At the same time, refugee charities warn that the language used by politicians risks fuelling hostility.
- They caution that describing illegal immigration as a force “tearing” the country apart may increase harassment and local flashpoints.
The Migration Observatory at Oxford University estimates there are between 700,000 and 900,000 unauthorized migrants living in the UK, a range it revised downward after a retraction in March 2025. These figures include people who overstay visas as well as those who arrive irregularly, underscoring the scale of the so-called shadow population.
- For ministers, these numbers strengthen the case for stricter enforcement and faster removals.
- For campaigners, they highlight the need for some form of regularisation, especially for families who have been in the country for many years but remain unable to work or rent legally.
Legal obligations and official guidance
Officials insist the new measures will be rooted in law and will respect Britain’s international obligations, including the Refugee Convention. They say genuine refugees will still find protection, but under clearer rules.
People who wish to seek asylum are still directed to official channels, with guidance published on the government’s Claim asylum in the UK page.
On the ground: Crowborough and beyond
In Crowborough, the protest outside the barracks eventually broke up under a steady drizzle, with police reporting no serious injuries. But residents left with more questions than answers about what will happen next.
For many across the country, the national battle over migrant protests, illegal immigration and the Home Secretary’s hardening tone is no longer an abstract debate in Westminster. It is a dispute playing out on their own streets, in front of buildings that may soon house people who have risked everything to reach the UK—and who now find themselves at the centre of a storm.
This Article in a Nutshell
Since April 2025 a surge of anti-immigration protests has spread across the UK, including Crowborough where residents opposed housing 600 migrants. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, labeled the asylum system “broken” and proposed temporary refugee status with 30-month reviews, returns when countries are deemed safe, and targeted visa restrictions. Statistics show 49,341 detected irregular arrivals (year to June 2025) and 111,000 asylum claims. Critics warn the reforms risk legal challenges, uncertainty for refugees and heightened local tensions.
