Rama Krishna Sangem
Now the heat is on illegal migrants in the Britain. In line with US President Donald Trump’s stringent immigration policies in the US, the Labour government in the UK has launched a large-scale crackdown on illegal employment. Dubbed a “UK-wide blitz”, the campaign has targeted businesses such as Indian restaurants, nail salons, convenience stores, and car washes that employ undocumented migrant workers.
Under the direct supervision of Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the Home Office recorded a record-breaking January, conducting raids on 828 premises — marking a 48 per cent increase from the previous year. Arrests also surged by 73 per cent, reaching 609.
According to Cooper’s office, while enforcement teams respond to intelligence on illegal employment across all sectors, a substantial portion of recent operations focused on restaurants, takeaways, and cafes, along with the food, drink, and tobacco industries. A single raid on an Indian restaurant in Humberside, northern England, resulted in seven arrests and four detentions, according to a PTI report.
“The immigration rules must be upheld and enforced. For too long, employers have been able to hire and exploit illegal migrants, and too many individuals have been able to work illegally without any consequences,” said Cooper. “This not only encourages dangerous Channel crossings in small boats but also leads to the exploitation of vulnerable people, abuse of the immigration system, and harm to the economy,” she added.
‘Deporting illegal migrants by flights
With the rapid rise of Reform UK in the polls, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to demonstrate a tough stance on illegal immigration. His government is now using chartered flights to deport “immigration offenders” to various countries, including four of the largest deportation flights in UK history, collectively carrying more than 800 people.
Adopting a ‘show, not tell’ strategy, the Labour administration has drawn comparisons to Trump-era tactics by releasing TV footage of deportation operations. These clips depict deportees being escorted off buses and onto chartered aircraft. The individuals removed on these flights reportedly include criminals convicted of offences such as drug trafficking, theft, rape, and murder.
