UK Illegal Work Raids, Arrests Skyrocket to All-Time High
The figures document a dramatic escalation in crackdown measures, with workplace inspections jumping 77% while detentions climbed 83% during the 18-month span from July 2024 through December 2025.
Authorities executed over 17,400 inspections at commercial establishments under suspicion of hiring undocumented workers.
Home Office officials identified nail salons, vehicle washing facilities, barbershops, and food delivery outlets among targeted sectors, labeling these industries as environments where unauthorized employment can "undercut honest workers and hide in plain sight."
The intensified campaign produced more than 12,300 detentions, government records confirm.
Northern Ireland witnessed particularly sharp enforcement growth. The region recorded 187 workplace inspections throughout 2025, yielding 234 arrests—representing a 76% surge in raids alongside a 169% spike in detentions versus 2024 figures.
Officials characterized the expanded operations as integral to broader initiatives designed to "restore order to the immigration system" while diminishing incentives for unauthorized UK entry, including maritime arrivals via small watercraft.
The Home Office emphasized that workplace enforcement complements wider deportation protocols removing individuals lacking legal residency status. Authorities report expelling 50,000 unauthorized migrants—a 23% increase under current leadership.
Tuesday's data release followed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's unveiling of what the government positioned as comprehensive overhauls aimed at deterring illegal migration and accelerating removal proceedings.
Mahmood declared in an official statement: "There is no place for illegal working in our communities. That is why we have surged enforcement activity to the highest level in British history so illegal migrants in the black economy have nowhere to hide."
"I will stop at nothing to restore order and control to our borders," she promised.
Immigration Enforcement personnel conducted inspections spanning dining establishments, building sites, and beauty salons during 2025 operations, the Home Office confirmed.
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