Home Office data shows most immigration raids end without arrests

Almost two-thirds of immigration enforcement visits in 2025 ended without a single arrest, according to figures released in November 2026. The data shows that of 23,538 engagements, including workplace raids and home checks, 15,578 yielded no results. This equates to 60 visits per day across the United Kingdom.

Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has promoted the expanded use of these enforcement teams. She claims the strategy helps secure UK borders by removing the incentive for irregular migration. Her department has targeted informal businesses such as nail bars, car washes, and construction sites, as well as private homes.

The figures were obtained through freedom of information requests by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and The Guardian. They highlight a sharp drop in the use of legal warrants. Only 25.81% of visits where officers accessed a premises were backed by a warrant. Critics describe this trend as evidence of fishing expeditions driven by weak intelligence.

The Home Office disputes the characterization of these operations as fishing expeditions. Officials state that intelligence is thoroughly examined before any raid is launched. However, the data indicates that 89% of leads alleging immigration crime in 2025 came from the public or the charity Crimestoppers. Only about 2% originated from the police.

Last month, officers from immigration enforcement arrived in unmarked vans at Sultanz, an Indian restaurant in Camborne, Cornwall. Customers were seated for dinner when the team entered. The owner, Samsu Ali, described the scene as an invasion of his six-year-old business. He stated that the officers had no warrant.

Nanu Mia, a Bangladeshi employee packing meals for collection, provided his details to the officers. They struggled to understand him. He was handcuffed, arrested, and marched to a van. His sister arrived with his ID card, which proved he had the right to work. He was released shortly after.

Ali reported that customer numbers at Sultanz have fallen steeply since the raid, despite the business being cleared of breaches. In a local Facebook group, the incident sparked racist and threatening comments. One user wrote that people with darker skin were taking over the community. Ali said the comments left him struggling to sleep.

Officers can enter licensed premises, such as restaurants and hotels, without a warrant under section 179 of the Licensing Act 2003. In other cases, they may ask for consent from the tenant or manager. More than 12,000 visits last year relied on this method. Officers are required to inform individuals of their right to revoke consent at any time.

Kevin Barker, a former immigration officer, said raids are often based on tenuous tipoffs. He noted that officers are not allowed to apply for a search warrant if the intelligence is old or an uncorroborated anonymous allegation, but they proceed anyway. Mothoin Ali, deputy leader of the Green Party, called the findings alarming. He urged the government to end unjustified raids and protect people's rights, stating that the operations resemble the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement playbook.

Arrests of people from abroad working illegally in the UK have doubled since Labour took office. The Home Office reported in August that more than 17,000 arrests were made between July 2024 and August 2026. This represents a 122% increase compared to the previous two years. Opposition parties argue that the availability of illegal work acts as a pull factor, encouraging migrants to cross the Channel in small boats.