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Hundreds arrested in January illegal worker blitz, government says Hundreds arrested in illegal worker raids last month, government says
(32 minutes later)
Hundreds of migrants have been arrested since the start of this year as part of a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working, the government has said. Hundreds of migrants were arrested in January as part of a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working, the government has said.
Enforcement teams raided 828 premises including nail bars, car washes, and restaurants and made 609 arrests - a 73% increase from January 2024 and the highest figure for any January on record. Enforcement teams raided more than 800 premises including nail bars, car washes, and restaurants and made 609 arrests - a 73% increase on the previous January.
Officials say many migrants are drawn in by false promises about their ability to live and work in the UK, which leads them to "risk their lives by crossing the Channel". Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle told the BBC the decision to release footage of the arrests was to send a message about the realities of working illegally and she defended the government's approach as "compassionate".
It comes as the government's immigration bill is set to be debated by MPs on Monday. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has called it a "weak bill that won't stop the boats". Later on Monday, MPs will debate the government's immigration bill. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has called it a "weak bill that won't stop the boats".
A significant proportion of last month's raids took place at restaurants, takeaways and cafes, the Home Office said. Vape shops in Cheshire and a grocery warehouse in south London were among the places raided.
It also gave examples of arrests made in vape shops in Cheshire and a grocery warehouse in south London.
Those arrested made the journey to the UK through a mix of routes, including by crossing the Channel and by overstaying legitimately-granted visas.Those arrested made the journey to the UK through a mix of routes, including by crossing the Channel and by overstaying legitimately-granted visas.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government was boosting enforcement to "record levels" and that immigration rules "must be respected". Despite having won a landslide election victory seven months ago, senior Labour strategists are already increasingly worried about losing voters concerned about immigration to Reform come the next election.
"For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken," she said. Party figures believe that merely describing the arrests and deportations is not enough – hence the decision to release footage today of them taking place, allowing people to see with their own eyes.
"Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel in a small boat, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people, the immigration system and our economy." But there are others in the Labour Party who fear that focusing on illegal immigration only increases the salience of an issue where they could never and would never want to adopt as hardline an approach as Reform.
From the start of the Labour government in July up to 31 January, 3,930 arrests were made over 5,424 visits by immigration enforcement officers. Some Labour MPs, particularly on the left of the party, believe the government should do more to establish safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK and talk about the benefits of immigration.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Dame Angela was asked if releasing footage of the raids aligned with Sir Keir Starmer's previous pledge to create an immigration system "based on compassion and dignity".
"I don't believe for one minute that enforcing the law and ensuring that people who break the law face the consequences of doing that, up to and including deportation, arrest, is not compassionate," she said.
She added that it is "important that we show what we are doing and it's important that we send messages to people who may have been sold lies about what will await them in the UK if they get themselves smuggled in".
The government also intends to reduce the number of hotels housing asylum seekers, Dame Angela said.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, she said there were plans to close nine of the 218 hotels currently in use by the end of March.
From the start of the Labour government in July up to 31 January, 3,930 arrests were made over 5,424 visits by immigration enforcement officers, the Home Office said.
A total of 1,090 civil penalty notices were also issued, with employers facing a fine of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.A total of 1,090 civil penalty notices were also issued, with employers facing a fine of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.
During the same period, four of the "biggest return flights in the UK's history" were also carried out, the Home Office said, returning more than 800 people.During the same period, four of the "biggest return flights in the UK's history" were also carried out, the Home Office said, returning more than 800 people.
But Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the new figures released by the government as feeble, compared with the numbers that had entered the country.But Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the new figures released by the government as feeble, compared with the numbers that had entered the country.
Across the 31 days of January, there were 1,098 people who arrived in the UK illegally on small boats.Across the 31 days of January, there were 1,098 people who arrived in the UK illegally on small boats.
The government said it launched a social media campaign in Vietnam in December and Albania in January discouraging people from making the journey to the UK.The government said it launched a social media campaign in Vietnam in December and Albania in January discouraging people from making the journey to the UK.
The adverts highlight stories from migrants who entered the UK illegally "only to face debt, exploitation and a life far from what they were promised", the Home Office said.The adverts highlight stories from migrants who entered the UK illegally "only to face debt, exploitation and a life far from what they were promised", the Home Office said.
It comes as the government's Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is set to be debated in the House of Commons in its second reading. Dame Angela said this campaign was introduced to counter "quite sophisticated ads" placed online by people smugglers, which "tell lies about the situation in Britain, about how easy it is to get jobs".
The bill aims to introduce a raft of new offences and counter terrororism-style powers to clamp down on people smugglers bringing migrants across the Channel. People who come to the UK illegally are "more likely to be living in squalid conditions, being exploited by vicious gangs", she said.
Later, the government's Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will be debated in the House of Commons in its second reading.
The bill aims to introduce a raft of new offences and counter terrorism-style powers to clamp down on people smugglers bringing migrants across the Channel.
But Labour ministers have not provided a specific target on when a drop in small boat crossings could be expected.But Labour ministers have not provided a specific target on when a drop in small boat crossings could be expected.
The Conservatives said they had put forward an amendment to the immigration bill in a bid to include their own immigration proposals: to double how long it takes migrants to get indefinite leave to remain and, after that, require them to wait five years rather than one before they can apply for citizenship.The Conservatives said they had put forward an amendment to the immigration bill in a bid to include their own immigration proposals: to double how long it takes migrants to get indefinite leave to remain and, after that, require them to wait five years rather than one before they can apply for citizenship.
Philp added that "an effective removals deterrent is needed" to stop small boat crossings, something he said Labour had scrapped, a reference to the former government's plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda.Philp added that "an effective removals deterrent is needed" to stop small boat crossings, something he said Labour had scrapped, a reference to the former government's plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda.