UK Launches Nationwide Crackdown on Illegal Workers

The UK government has intensified its crackdown on illegal employment practices, with over 600 arrests in January alone, marking a 73% increase from the previous year. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that Immigration Enforcement teams conducted visits to 828 businesses, resulting in a significant rise in enforcement activity across sectors such as restaurants and convenience stores. This initiative is part of the Labour government's broader strategy to tighten immigration controls and combat labor exploitation, coinciding with the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill's return to Parliament. Critics, including some migrant groups, have expressed concerns that this approach echoes past policies that created a 'hostile environment' for migrants. The government has also reported a surge in deportations, with over 16,000 individuals removed from the UK since July. As the Labour Party faces pressure from the hard-right Reform UK party, it aims to show voters its commitment to addressing illegal migration while dismantling smuggling networks.