UK Arrests 280 Asylum Seekers in Nationwide Illegal Working Crackdown

The UK government conducted a week-long nationwide crackdown targeting asylum seekers suspected of working illegally for delivery firms, stopping and questioning 1,780 individuals and arresting 280 between July 20 and 27. Of those arrested, 89 have been detained pending removal, and 53 are having their asylum support reviewed, which could lead to suspension or withdrawal. The operation focused on illegal working hotspots in the gig economy, especially delivery riders, with enforcement teams receiving £5 million from a £100 million border security fund to increase visits in these areas. Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle emphasized that illegal working undermines border security and vowed to intensify enforcement across the UK. Additionally, 51 businesses, including car washes and restaurants, were issued penalty notices for potentially hiring workers without the right to work. The government continues to bar asylum seekers from working while their claims are processed, except after a year of waiting, as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's broader push to reduce irregular immigration.