The United Kingdom has reported its highest number of deportations since 2018, coinciding with an increase in immigration enforcement measures under the Labour government.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that in January 2025, the Home Office conducted 828 immigration raids, marking a 73% increase from the same month the previous year.

These operations resulted in 609 arrests, with a focus on workplaces known for unlawful employment practices, such as nail salons, car washes, and warehouses.

Cooper stated that strict enforcement of immigration rules is necessary, citing the exploitation of illegal migrants by employers that contributes to the ongoing crisis of unlawful entry into the UK. Since the Labour government took office in July 2024, a total of 18,987 individuals have been mandated to leave the country, representing the highest figure recorded in years.

Among those deported were foreign offenders and individuals who had their asylum requests denied or who lacked valid visas.

Of the total deportations, 5,074 were enforced removal orders, a rise from 4,089 in the previous year.

While many deportees returned voluntarily, those without the right to remain may receive up to £3,000 (approximately €3,600) in reintegration assistance upon returning home.

Cooper attributed the increase in unlawful crossings via the English Channel to insufficient enforcement under the previous Conservative government, which she argued opened doors to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals and economically harmful practices.

As part of its 'Plan for Change', the Labour government aims to strengthen immigration regulations and develop new legislation targeting criminal gangs involved in undermining border security.

This initiative has emerged alongside a growing public interest in immigration policy, particularly in light of rising support for the Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage.

A recent YouGov poll conducted in early February 2025 indicated that the Reform Party received 25% support, slightly ahead of Labour at 24% and the Conservative Party at 21%.

Experts have raised concerns about the government’s stringent immigration policies, with Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, characterizing them as reactive and lacking compassion.

Additionally, the UK government has adopted new practices such as publicly releasing videos and photographs of deportation flights, a strategy that has been compared to similar approaches in the United States.

This move has elicited mixed reactions within the Labour Party.

Estimates regarding the number of individuals employed illegally in the UK vary widely due to the lack of formal registration or identification requirements.

A comprehensive study conducted by researchers from 18 universities last autumn estimated the number of unauthorized workers to be between 594,000 and 745,000, including victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.

Additionally, a 2017 estimate by the Pew Research Center suggested that between 800,000 and 1.2 million individuals could be working outside legal parameters, comprising approximately 1.8% of the country's population.

In conjunction with its efforts against illegal immigration, the Labour government is expected to release a white paper in March or April 2025 that will propose measures aimed at reducing legal immigration levels.

Since Brexit, the UK has implemented a points-based visa system, witnessing an influx of over 900,000 immigrants in the twelve months ending mid-2023—a figure significantly higher than prior to Brexit.

The topic of migration has reemerged in public discourse, following a period of diminished attention post-referendum, as British businesses increasingly rely on immigrant labor to address talent shortages in various sectors such as healthcare, construction, IT, and hospitality.

Furthermore, foreign students are noted to be a critical component of the financial stability of UK universities, contributing substantially to tuition revenue.