Hundreds of arrests have been made as part of a “week-long crackdown” on asylum seekers taking jobs for delivery companies.
A total of 1,780 people were stopped and spoken to across the UK over suspected illegal working activity between July 20 and 27.
As a result, 89 of those arrested have now been detained pending removal from the country while 53 are having their asylum support reviewed.
The Government said this could result in their support being suspended or withdrawn.
The operation was described by the Home Office as a “nationwide intensification week” aimed at targeting illegal working hotspots, and focused on people working as delivery riders.
Dame Angela Eagle, the Border Security Minister, said: “Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it.
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Dame Angela Eagle said: ‘Illegal working undermines out border security and we’re cracking down hard on it’
“That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity right across the UK to crack down on those who think they can evade immigration and employment laws in the UK.”
Of the £100million of funding already announced for border security, immigration enforcement teams are set to receive £5million as the Government aims to increase visits by officers to illegal working hotspots.
Alongside the arrests, 51 businesses, such as car washes and restaurants, were issued with penalty notices.
This means they could be handed hefty fines if they are found to employ people who do not have the right to work in the UK.
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Hundreds of arrests have been made as part of a “week-long crackdown” on asylum seekers taking jobs for delivery companies
Eddie Montgomery, Enforcement Director at the Home Office, said action was being taken “around the clock” against “those who think they can get away with working illegally”.
Normally, asylum seekers in the UK are barred from working while their claim is being processed.
However, they can apply for permission after a year of waiting.
Ministers are hoping to decrease the “pull factors” which attract migrants to the UK by having authorities target areas of suspected activity.
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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip said the Tories wanted to deport asylum seekers if they worked illegally
As such, the Government recently announced it would share information with food delivery firms regarding asylum hotel locations.
However, some feel Labour is not doing enough.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip said the Conservatives wanted to strip asylum seekers of their status and deport them if they worked illegally.
Regarding recent Government action, he claimed “this story only happened” because “he exposed what Labour refused to see”.
Referring to the delivery workers he had allegedly seen operating out of one hotel housing asylum seekers, he described the location as a “black-market, courier hub in plain sight”.
Philip continued: “Labour are now boasting about arrests, but we know they are too scared to actually deport anyone.
“People breaking the law are still being put up in hotels and handed benefits.
“It’s a racket and Labour are letting it run.”
Delivery companies Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have stated they will increase facial verification and fraud checks in the coming months in order to prevent people working as riders without permission.
