National/ International Desk
12 February
Ludhiana
Sandeep Dhand
The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has deported 19,000 illegal immigrants as part of a tough new crackdown. This includes people living illegally and foreign criminals. The Labour government has taken strong action to tighten border security and stop illegal migration.
The UK Home Office, under Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, carried out large-scale raids to catch illegal workers. In January alone, immigration officers raided 828 locations, a 48% increase compared to last year. These raids targeted places where many migrant workers are employed, such as Indian restaurants, nail bars, stores, and car washes.
During these operations, 609 people were arrested. In one raid at an Indian restaurant in Humberside, seven people were arrested, and four others were detained. The UK government is also taking action against businesses that hire illegal workers. A total of 1,090 civil penalty notices have been issued to employers, with a warning of fines up to £60,000 per worker.
The Labour government is introducing a new Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill to tackle criminal gangs involved in illegal migration. The bill is now being discussed in Parliament and aims to strengthen border security. Officials believe these gangs are responsible for human trafficking and illegal crossings.
Since the July 2024 general election, authorities have identified 16,400 illegal immigrants. The UK government says it has now removed more foreign criminals and immigration offenders than in any year since 2018.
With these strict measures, the UK is following a tough approach similar to the US under former President Donald Trump. The government says this crackdown will help make immigration more controlled and legal.