10/02/2025
UK Immigration Crackdown: Nearly 4,000 Illegal Workers Arrested
A sweeping nationwide operation has seen almost 4,000 migrants—employed illegally in nail bars, car washes, restaurants, and other sectors—detained as part of efforts to bolster border security. The Home Office and National Crime Agency conducted raids across London and the South East, targeting both commercial establishments and residential properties.
Video footage captured at a car wash in Herne Hill, south London, shows at least four individuals being apprehended. Similar operations have led to arrests in other locations: several detainees were held at a block of flats in Enfield, and immigration officers detained more people at a beauty salon in Tonbridge, Kent. In another incident at a grocery warehouse in south London, six migrants along with four others were filmed being detained.
The crackdown also extended to restaurants, takeaways, cafes, and businesses within the food, drink, and to***co industries. In Cheshire, a targeted operation at v**e shops resulted in ten immigration arrests, along with two arrests related to counterfeit document possession. Meanwhile, an Indian restaurant in the Humberside region saw eleven individuals detained.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that since the government took office in July, immigration enforcement officers have made 5,424 visits leading to approximately 3,930 arrests—a 38% increase compared to the previous 12-month period.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that criminal gangs are taking advantage of migrants by offering false promises of a better life in the UK. These deceptive claims have driven record numbers to risk dangerous crossings of the English Channel in small boats. Once in the country, many illegal workers find themselves subjected to squalid living conditions and grueling work hours imposed by exploitative employers. To date, over 1,000 migrants have made the perilous journey.
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Thousands of migrants illegally working in nail bars, car washes and restaurants have been arrested as part of the Government's efforts to tighten UK border security.
