More than 1,000 illegal workers removed from UK following mass immigration raids

Over 1,050 migrants were removed from the country following the Home Office's largest crackdown on illegal working on record, as arrests soared by 63 per cent.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood believes the mass clear-out will deter people from coming to the UK by small boat.

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Ms Mahmood said: "Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more.

“Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained and removed from this country.

"I will do whatever it takes to secure Britain’s borders."

More than 8,000 migrants were arrested in 11,000 Immigration Enforcement raids from October last year to September 2025.

When asked whether 1,000 deportations was a success from 8,000 arrests, Border Security Minister Alex Norris insisted it was an "excellent result", but admitted the Government needed to go "much further".

"We want to go further, we're using the law to its fullest. We've taken as I say the highest amount on record but we need to go much much further," he said.

"We intend to go much further, we're literally passing legislation as we speak. Let's understand what's at stake here, people want to come to Britain because they think they can melt into the illegal economy."

The Government was "pushing much harder" against legal challenges to deportation, Mr Norris said.

Ever since ministers committed £5m to Operation Sterling, set up to target unauthorised working, arrests and immigration officer visits risen by 63 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.

To shore up the immigration system, right-to-work checks are being expanded, and bosses who fail to comply could be jailed, face fines of £60,000 per illegal worker or have their businesses closed.

Currently, right-to-work checks to verify someone is eligible to work in the UK are needed only for companies with traditional employer to employee contracts.

This means casual, temporary or subcontracted workers do not need to comply with these checks.

Ministers are now looking to close this "loophole", as they aim to give businesses guidance for rolling out stronger right-to-work checks.

Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have also ramped up real-identity and right-to-work checks to tackle concerns of illegal working on their platforms.