The Liberal Democrats would strip the Home Office of its immigration powers following years of criticism over the so-called “hostile environment” and the Windrush scandal.
The party criticised the “broken” immigration system which has “toxified the culture” on immigration and “stigmatised” migrants.
It would give powers over immigration policy, work and student visa, and asylum decisions to the departments for business, education and international development if it entered government.
The Lib Dems said the current system was “failing” because more than half (52%) of immigration and asylum decisions are reversed by judges on appeal, according to official statistics.
Earlier this year, the Home Office was reportedly accused in a draft official report of being “reckless”, “defensive” and failing in its legal duty to counter legal discrimination in implementing the hostile environment policy instigated by Theresa May.
The former PM, as home secretary, brought in the policy in an effort to bring down immigration numbers.
But it was disowned by the government following the Windrush scandal, which saw people with a legal right to be in the UK wrongly classed as illegal immigrants, with some being wrongly deported to countries they left as children.
Ahead of the unveiling of the Lib Dems’ plan for immigration and asylum on Saturday, the party’s home affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Home Office has seen consecutive Conservative calamities to the point where no one can have confidence that our immigration laws are being fairly enforced.
“The Liberal Democrats offer a brighter future, one that fixes the broken immigration system and takes the powers away from the Home Office which has toxified the culture on immigration and stigmatised immigration.”