In recent Home Office operations targeting eateries, delivery services, beauty parlors, and car cleaning facilities, numerous individuals have been expelled from the UK. The Home Office reported a 63% surge in arrests for illegal employment, resulting in the removal of over 1,050 migrants in the largest crackdown to date. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed that this action aims to deter individuals from entering the UK via unauthorized means.
Mahmood emphasized that illegal employment serves as an incentive for illegal entry into the country and vowed to apprehend and deport those working illegally in beauty salons, car washes, and delivery roles. She affirmed a commitment to safeguarding the nation’s borders, citing new legislation that could lead to up to five years’ imprisonment for employers hiring illegal workers.
Government data revealed that over 8,000 migrants were arrested following 11,000 Immigration Enforcement raids from October of the previous year to September 2025. Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, commended the enforcement efforts but acknowledged the need for further action.
Norris, in a discussion on Times Radio, lauded the raids as the most extensive in the country’s history, resulting in arrests and the deportation of a thousand individuals. Despite questions about the success rate, Norris deemed the outcome as excellent and stressed the government’s intent to intensify enforcement efforts through legislative measures.
The government allocated £5 million to Operation Sterling, which targets unauthorized employment. Arrests surged by 63% within a year, accompanied by a 51% increase in site visits. Enhanced right-to-work checks are being implemented to prevent individuals from circumventing regulations. Companies failing to conduct these checks risk imprisonment, hefty fines per illegal employee, and business closure.
While current laws mandate right-to-work checks for standard employer-employee agreements, ministers aim to eliminate the exemption for casual, temporary, or subcontracted workers, requiring them to verify their work eligibility. A consultation will be conducted to gather feedback from businesses on recruitment practices and assist in implementing robust right-to-work verification procedures.
Furthermore, prominent delivery firms like Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats have bolstered identity and right-to-work verification processes on their platforms to combat concerns of illicit employment.
