UK: Trump-style crackdown on illegal migrants; raids on Indian restaurants

The United Kingdom’s Labour government has ramped up its drive against illegal immigration by carrying out mass raids on retail outlets in the food, drink, and tobacco industry including Indian restaurants that employ illegal migrant workers.

The crackdown on illegal migrants in Britain is similar to the one being carried out by President Donald Trump’s administration in the US.

The British Home Office reported that it had created records this January – raids on 828 premises (a 48 per cent increase over last January) and 609 arrests (a 73 per cent rise as compared to the previous January).

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The Home Office noted that a visit to one Indian restaurant in Humberside, northern England had led to 7 arrests and 4 detentions.

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is exercising a hands-on approach in the crackdown on illegal immigrants.

“The immigrant rules must be respected and enforced. 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,” said Home Secretary Cooper.

“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,” added Yvette Cooper.

Borders Bill

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is keen to demonstrate that his government is tough on illegal immigration.

His government passed the Borders Bill to give greater powers to the police in their work against the smuggler gangs involved in transporting migrants into the country.

“You can’t have security without secure borders. Labour’s Borders Bill will give law enforcement the powers they need to smash the criminal gangs. My government is delivering on your priorities,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted on X.

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Starmer’s government has reported that it has deported nearly 19,000 foreign criminals and illegal migrants since it took office last year.

Home Secretary Cooper posted on X about the Borders Bill and wrote that the Labour government had increased deportations to the highest rate in 6 years because “rules must be respected and enforced”.

“Tonight, Labour voted to bring in counter-terror style powers to go after smuggler gangs & strengthen our borders. 19,000 people with no right to be in UK have been returned since July. We’ve increased returns to the highest rate in 6 yrs because rules must be respected & enforced,” wrote Yvette Cooper on X.

Govt releases video of deportation

The British government, in an imitation of the US Border Patrol, for the first time released a video showing the deportation of illegal migrants. It shows deportees being taken off a bus and climbing up into a charter jet.

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The Home Office said those being deported on these flights include criminals convicted of murder, rape, drug offences, and theft.

The deportations included four of the biggest charter flights in the UK’ s history returning more than 800 illegal migrants to their countries of origin.

Prevention

The government said it was also working to prevent people from entering the UK illegally.

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“We’re also working upstream to deter people from entering the UK illegally by launching a new international campaign to debunk people smugglers’ lies. Social media adverts went live in Vietnam in December and Albania in January, highlighting real stories from migrants who entered the UK illegally, only to face debt, exploitation, and a life far from what they were promised,” said the Home Office.