In a blanket week-long operation on illegal working, British officials detained nearly one in 20 people they questioned, with delivery riders being at the centre of the crackdown.
Between July 20 and July 27, immigration enforcement officers stopped 1,780 people and arrested 280 on suspicion of working illegally, the UK’s interior ministry confirmed. Asylum support is being considered for 53 of those arrested.
Delivery Platforms Under the Spotlight
The raid was one of the biggest coordinated operations to date against illegal migrants laboring in the gig economy. It comes after a recently signed agreement between the government and food delivery giants Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat to exchange worker data and avoid illegal hiring.
Border security minister Angela Eagle defended the move, emphasizing the government’s determination to see immigration laws enforced. “This government is ensuring rules are being respected and enforced,” she said.
The push is part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s wider plan to strengthen immigration controls in the face of political pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which has seen its popularity grow by attacking the government’s approach to migration.
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Businesses Face Penalties
Authorities did not only go for workers. The raid also struck employers caught flouting the law. 51 businesses – ranging from restaurants to car washes – were hit with civil penalty notices for risking heavy fines for employing illegal workers.
Police also seized 71 vehicles, including 58 e-bikes used by delivery riders. £8,000 in cash and counterfeit cigarettes worth £460,000 were seized.
The Home Office revealed a £5 million funding increase to aid immigration enforcement, and it heralds an intensification of such activity over the next few months.
Cross-Border Deals and Increasing Returns
There seems to be a coordinated crackdown action as new immigration deals are set with France. Britain and France will now exchange equal numbers of migrants Britain will accept legitimate asylum seekers from France with family ties in the UK, and France will take undocumented migrants who arrive in Britain by small boat.
Some 35,052 individuals with no right to be in the UK were removed over the 12 months through July up by 13% on the previous year, according to official data.
As migration continues to be one of the most politically sensitive topics in the UK, this latest enforcement is seen to reinforce the government’s desire to be perceived as both tough on illegal working and actively engaged in controlling the nation’s borders.
