UK’s New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood Set to Shift Asylum Seekers from Hotels to Military Barracks
Shabana Mahmood, the newly appointed Home Secretary in the UK government, is expected to announce plans to move asylum seekers out of hotels and into military barracks, in a decisive first move to reshape the UK’s migration and asylum policy.
The initiative follows a summer of protests at hotel sites and signals a significant shift in the government’s approach to managing irregular migration.
 |
| Image Source: UK Home Office |
The decision reflects growing pressure to reduce the visibility and cost of hotel-based arrangements, which have drawn public backlash and political scrutiny in recent months.
The announcement is anticipated as part of a broader policy recalibration under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration, which undertook a major cabinet reshuffle this week.
Mahmood’s new role places her at the centre of the UK’s border and immigration system, and government sources have indicated she is prepared to take “nothing off the table” in pursuit of reforms.
Mahmood has previously expressed openness to reviewing the UK's legal relationship with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as part of a potential reworking of domestic asylum law.
While no formal proposals on ECHR reform have yet been tabled, the comment suggests a willingness to revisit long-standing legal frameworks governing migration.
For over two centuries, the Home Secretary has safeguarded the nation.
— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) September 5, 2025
Today, we begin a new chapter as we welcome @ShabanaMahmood to the Home Office as the new Home Secretary. pic.twitter.com/usHeUVnomA
In parallel, the UK is reportedly nearing an agreement with Germany on the return of certain asylum seekers, building on an existing returns deal with France.
These bilateral arrangements are designed to facilitate the expedited removal of individuals whose claims are deemed inadmissible under UK law.
The reshuffle that brought Mahmood to the Home Office also saw Yvette Cooper, the former Home Secretary, moved to the Foreign Office.
Her exit comes amid ongoing political debate over immigration numbers and the effectiveness of previous enforcement measures.
The shake-up also includes Sarah Jones taking over as Policing Minister, a position she previously held in opposition, alongside newly elevated MPs Mike Tapp (Dover) and Alex Norris, who will support the Home Office portfolio.
Former ministers Dame Angela Eagle and Dame Diana Johnson have been reassigned as part of the departmental changes.
Speaking to media on Saturday, Darren Jones, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, denied claims that the government was in crisis or that the reshuffle signaled instability.
He defended the changes as strengthening the Cabinet and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering its agenda without delay.
The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP @ShabanaMahmood has been appointed as Secretary of State for the Home Department @UKHomeOffice. pic.twitter.com/HUKQh8wnDT
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 5, 2025
“It’s not instability insofar as the outcomes that we’re delivering are the same,” Jones was quoted as saying on BBC Breakfast. He also dismissed suggestions that Cooper was removed due to immigration-related failures, calling her "brilliant" in her new diplomatic role.
The urgency of the asylum challenge was underscored over the weekend as an estimated 1,000 people arrived in the UK by small boats on Saturday alone, one of the highest daily figures this year.
The Home Office has yet to confirm exact timelines or locations for the proposed transfer of asylum seekers to military sites, but the move is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Also Read: UK's New Foreign Secretary Calls Ukraine Hours After Appointment, Expresses Unwavering Support