British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined the UK Home Office enforcement officials last Thursday to conduct a raid as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal migration in the country. During the operation, officials arrested a total of 105 foreign nationals from across 20 nationalities. The move comes after Sunak made cracking down on illegal migration one of his government’s top priorities ahead of a general election, expected to take place next year. In a Tweet, Sunak said the clamp down on illegal working will send a clear message that the country will decide who will come in or not. He also added criminals are not welcome in the UK.
Sunak said, “This work is key to delivering on my promise to tackle illegal migration and stop the boats.”
43-year-old Sunak was seen dressed in a bulletproof vest and said these after attending one of the actions in Brent, north London, earlier this week. The event was organised to observe Immigration Enforcement officers at work as part of their “day of action”, reported PTI.
During the operation at multiple locations in the UK, Immigration Enforcement officers arrested 105 foreign nationals. They were all found working without the right to do so during a total of 159 raids on suspected illegal work establishments, reported PTI.
All these arrests were made at different commercial locations such as restaurants, car washes, nail bars, barber shops, and convenience stores.
Officers arrested the suspects for offences including illegal working and possession of false documentation. Huge sums of cash were also seized at some locations, as reported by the agency.
Over 20 different nationalities were found to be working without proper visa rights to be in the UK. Out of all the arrested people, more than 40 were detained by the Home Office pending their removal from the UK. And other suspects were being released on immigration bail.
The UK Home Office said such a number of arrests will result in a voluntary departure from the country. The UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said, as quoted by PTI, “Illegal working harms our communities, cheats honest workers out of employment and defrauds the public purse as no taxes are paid.”
She further mentioned, “As the Prime Minister has set out, we are committed to tackling the abuse of our laws and borders. We know the prospect of black-market employment is a significant attraction for migrants considering making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK.”
Braverman also said such operations send a clear message that the UK will not stand for illegal migrations.
According to the Home Office, the operation builds on the ongoing work by Immigration Enforcement officers to clamp down on illegal working.
The department said it is a vital part of the government’s approach to stopping the boats crossing the English Channel illegally.
Officials at the Home Office said the operation is aimed at tackling illegal migration by breaking the business model of criminal gangs, who use the offer of black market jobs as one way to draw people to the UK illegally, reported PTI.