Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced intensified enforcement actions targeting car washes and parts of the beauty sector over immigration violations this summer.

Yvette Cooper revealed her "shock" at discovering that 1,000 civil service staff had been working on the now-ditched Rwanda policy, underlining a shift in focus to more immediate enforcement measures. Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Cooper detailed that officials have been redeployed to a "returns and enforcement programme" targeting businesses suspected of employing illegal workers.

Redeployment and Enforcement

Cooper, expressing surprise at the previous administration's focus, wrote: "We have directed Immigration Enforcement to intensify their operations over the summer, with a focus on employers who are fuelling the trade of criminal gangs by exploiting and facilitating illegal working here in the UK – including in car washes and in the beauty sector. We are also drawing up new plans for fast-track decisions and returns for safe countries."

She emphasized the need for a "properly controlled and managed asylum system," aiming to support genuine asylum seekers while swiftly removing those without the right to remain in the country. This reflects Labour's commitment to making border security a top priority, including the establishment of the Border Security Command as promised in their manifesto.

Context and Broader Policy Moves

The scrapped Rwanda scheme, a key policy under the last Conservative government, was terminated by Labour shortly after Sir Keir Starmer's general election victory. This policy shift has drawn criticism from Conservatives, who argue that the Rwanda scheme served as a crucial deterrent against illegal crossings.

Despite the policy changes, Cooper acknowledged that addressing the issue of small boat crossings would require substantial effort and long-term solutions rather than quick fixes. The Prime Minister, attending the European Political Community summit, discussed migration with European leaders and expressed openness to offshore processing arrangements similar to those between Italy and Albania.

Current Statistics and Challenges

At least 15,489 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year, with recent arrivals pushing the number above 15,500. The perilous crossings continue to result in fatalities, with two deaths recorded last week and four on July 12.

Cooper's announcement signifies a renewed focus on domestic enforcement and swift policy actions to manage immigration and border security, aligning with broader Labour goals of establishing a robust and fair asylum system. Photo by Oxyman / Gainsborough Hand Car Wash / CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia commons.