January 24, 2026 - 3:20pm
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has suggested that a Reform UK government would emulate the Trump administration’s ICE raids.
Addressing a conference for the Fabian Society at the Guildhall in central London this afternoon, Khan described ICE as “a de facto paramilitary force targeting and terrorising diverse communities”. He added: “this is a new extreme, and one a Reform government could seek to emulate, leaving minorities fearing a tap on the shoulder.”
The London’s Mayor’s speech focused on “issues that have become contentious and weighed heavily on our politics over recent years: immigration and integration”. Citing “the return of far-Right populism and nativism”, he argued that “the idea that we can be diverse, united and prosperous is under threat like never before.”
Khan, who has frequently clashed with Donald Trump and accused the US President of directing “hatred and bile” at him, told the Fabians conference today that “the White House’s National Security Strategy recently made the preposterous claim that Europe is at risk of civilisational erasure.” He added that “the far-Right is spreading the same message in Europe with the National Rally in France, the AfD in Germany, the PVV in the Netherlands, and the Brothers of Italy.”
In Britain, Khan said, “Reform and the Tories are dancing to the same tune. They paint a dystopian picture of London as a city that has fallen.” Calling the rhetoric of the UK’s Right-of-centre parties “cruel, callous and deeply dangerous”, the London Mayor claimed that “they construct lies, seek to manufacture an enemy, pit citizens against one another for political gain, and stoke fear by blaming ‘the other’ for all of society’s ills.” According to Khan, Reform and the Conservatives “can’t stand what London represents — a city that’s diverse, progressive and thriving, with a Mayor who happens to be a Muslim”.
Earlier this month, Reform leader Nigel Farage announced that Westminster City Councillor Laila Cunningham, who is Muslim, would be the party’s candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election. Cunningham has previously claimed that the capital is “no longer safe” and has seen a “rape epidemic” under Khan’s leadership. She has also proposed that women wearing burqas should be subject to stop and search, comments which Khan labelled “offensive”.
Should Reform reach power following the next general election, Farage has pledged to abolish indefinite leave to remain, which gives immigrants the right to live and work in the UK before they receive citizenship. The party’s Operation Restoring Justice plan aims to deport 600,000 illegal immigrants in Reform’s first term in office, with five such flights leaving the UK each day and the detention of all illegal arrivals including women and children.
The Trump administration’s ICE raids have come under increasing scrutiny this month after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal agent in Minneapolis, as well as several recorded instances of officers detaining children as young as two years old. Farage has previously been accused of taking inspiration from Trump’s ICE operations, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to implement a similar “removals force” to deport over 100,000 illegal immigrants each year if her party returns to office.
Speaking at the Fabians conference today, Khan said Britain should “reset the immigration debate” which is currently “dictated by hysteria, hatred and fearmongering”. He added: “we must fight back against this narrative that diversity is inherently bad for our society, and therefore all immigration is too.”
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
Subscribe