Immigration enforcement activity across the UK has reached its highest level on record, with a sharp rise in raids and arrests targeting illegal working in sectors ranging
from nail bars to car washes.
According to the latest government figures, Immigration Enforcement teams carried out more than 17,400 raids across the UK between July 2024 and the end of December 2025 — a 77% increase since the current government took office. Arrests surged by 83% over the same period, with more than 12,300 people detained for illegal working.
Northern Ireland saw a particularly steep rise in activity. In 2025 alone, officers conducted 187 raids, resulting in 234 arrests. That represents a 76% increase in raids and a 169% jump in arrests compared with the previous year.
£5 million boost fuels enforcement surge
The unprecedented increase in enforcement has been driven by a £5 million funding boost allocated last year to the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement directorate. The additional resources have enabled officers to scale up operations against what officials describe as “dodgy businesses” that undercut legitimate employers and exploit vulnerable workers.
Raids have focused on high-risk sectors including nail salons, barbers, takeaway shops, construction sites and car washes — industries where illegal working is known to be more prevalent.
Part of wider push to restore immigration control
Ministers say the crackdown is central to a broader strategy to restore control of the UK’s immigration system and remove the incentives that criminal gangs use to encourage people to enter the country illegally.
The enforcement activity sits alongside the removal of more than 50,000 people with no legal right to remain in the UK — a 23% increase under the current government.
The figures were published shortly after the Home Secretary unveiled sweeping reforms designed to make the UK a less attractive destination for illegal migration and to speed up deportations.
Strong political warnings
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “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”.
Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, said:
“Illegal working undercuts honest businesses across Northern Ireland and fuels the criminal gangs who profit from human exploitation.
This Government has increased enforcement to record levels, and the message is clear: there is no place for those flouting the law”.
Body-worn cameras rolled out nationwide
Immigration Enforcement officers across the UK are now fully equipped with body-worn video cameras, a move officials say will strengthen evidence gathering, improve officer safety and support prosecutions.
The rollout began in September last year and has now been completed across all enforcement teams.
Paul McHarron, Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Lead for Northern Ireland, said the technology would reinforce the government’s tough stance.
“Illegal working is against the law and will not be tolerated,” he said. “My teams will continue working around the clock to ensure those involved face the full force of the law.”
Examples of recent raids in Northern Ireland
Last year’s operations in Northern Ireland included a range of high-profile enforcement visits:
Belfast City Centre: On 1 May, officers visited VN Nail & Spa Salon, arresting three Vietnamese nationals for illegal working. One individual was detained for removal from the UK.
Bangor: On 28 June, a raid at Europa Car Wash led to the arrest of four workers of Romanian, Ethiopian and Jordanian nationality. Two were detained for removal.
Londonderry: On 25 October, enforcement officers visited Beijing House, arresting three Chinese nationals. A Civil Penalty Referral Notice was issued to the business owner, who could now face a substantial fine if found liable.
New laws and digital ID on the way
The government is also tightening the legal framework through the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act. Right-to-work checks are being expanded to cover gig economy workers, subcontractors, casual labour and temporary staff.
In addition, mandatory digital ID is set to be introduced by the end of the current Parliament, creating a single, streamlined way for employers to verify a worker’s legal status. Ministers say the move will make it harder for illegal migrants to find work and easier to identify employers who fail to carry out checks.
Targeting criminal smuggling gangs
Alongside workplace enforcement, the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce — bringing together agencies including the National Crime Agency, police leaders and Border Security Command — is intensifying efforts to dismantle people-smuggling networks.
Over the past 12 months, disruptions linked to migrant smuggling have risen by 33%, with nearly 4,000 interventions recorded since July 2024. A new agreement with France now allows for the return of people arriving in the UK by small boat.
A ‘laser focus’ on border security
Ministers say the combined measures — tougher enforcement, expanded checks, digital ID and international cooperation — demonstrate a “laser focus” on securing the UK’s borders and dismantling the false promise of illegal work used by criminal gangs.
As enforcement levels continue to rise, the government’s message remains clear: illegal working will be pursued relentlessly, and those who break the law — whether workers or employers — will face serious consequences. Photo by ukhomeoffice, Wikimedia commons.