POLL: Should the UK copy Donald Trump and fly migrants back to their home countries?

was clear on how we would deal with immigration “crisis” throughout the election and promises of deportations were popular enough for him to earn a convincing election victory.

This weekend, he began to make good on his vow to remove those in the country illegally as two flights took off from the US where the Bogota’s refusal to allow the planes to land hours later. It is perhaps a sign of what is to come.

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The appointment of as border czar was a statement of intent on how would handle the illegal flow of people and narcotics across the US border.

Holmes led the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during first presidency and was one of the chief architects of the forced separation of parents and children on the southern border which caused widespread dismay and a government U-turn.

Officially known as “zero tolerance”, the policy saw nearly 4,700 children removed from their parents with some yet to be reunited, but Holmes remains adamant in the need for deterrence.

He wrote in 2020: “Don’t let anyone tell you that illegal immigration is a victimless crime.

“Zero tolerance is about more than just enforcing our laws, protecting our sovereignty, and securing our border, it saves lives.”

Trump’s right-hand man on migration has vowed to remove the “worst first” but has refused to rule anybody out, stating that anybody in the country illegally is on the table.

With a reported 11 million undocumented people living in the country, promising “mass deportations” and a proven enforcer ready to enact the policy, the approach America takes to illegal immigration will be watched around the world.

The problem is of course not unique to , with global conflicts leading to a surge in illegal border crossings across Europe, including the UK.

reversed the UK’s version of deterrence, the now infamous , within days of coming to office, claiming that the impact of the proposals was negligible.

Advocates of the policy hoped to see those who enter the country illegally deported to to serve as a deterrent to those considering making a similar trip. But whereas Trump forced opposition to his plan into submission within hours, the British version became a constant drain of public money into the pockets of lawyers.

method of halting illegal boat crossings in the channel has instead been to “smash the gangs” that orchestrate them, but critics argue that the strategy is flawed and without a deterrent effect.

It remains to be seen how Labour will halt illegal migration into the country but there is no doubt that those on both sides of the argument will be casting a wandering eye across the Atlantic in the coming years.