Arrests for illegal working have more than doubled since Labour came to power, the Home Office has said.
In the two years since the July 2024 general election, more than 17,000 people were detained.
According to the Home Office, the total is more than double the number recorded in the previous two-year period. Of those arrested, 2,357 people have been deported, a 50 per cent increase compared with the number returned between July 2022 and June 2024.
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The figures land as the government seeks to project toughness on enforcement while defending its recent polling lead against a resurgent Reform UK.
The border security and asylum minister, Anna Turley, described the numbers as “the highest levels in British history” during the morning media round, the Guardian reported.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Turley said: “We’re sending a message that if you think you can come to this country and work illegally and disappear off the books, then our immigration enforcement service will find you and will arrest you.”
The announcement comes after a week of immigration from opposition parties. On Thursday, the Conservatives announced a controversial policy to end social housing eligibility for foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, Reform have promised to introduce a ‘Deliveroo law’ to crackdown on anyone employing people with no right to work in the UK.
But as many have pointed out – and as the above figures prove – there are already laws and measures in place to address this.