More than 600 immigration arrests were made last month, as authorities carried out more than 800 raids, the Home Office has said.
The Labour government points out this was a 73% increase compared to January last year – when the Conservatives were in power – and 352 arrests were made across 556 visits.
Labour have been emphasising border security since its election, recognising that the topic is one of the most important to voters – and not wanting to lose ground to the Tories or Reform UK.
Some 3,930 arrests have been made over 5,424 visits by immigration enforcement officers since July when Labour took over, according to Home Office figures.
The number of arrests highlighted today happened after a series of raids at businesses like restaurants, takeaways, cafes, car washes, nail bars and vape shops.
In total, Labour said that more than 16,400 people have been deported since the election – and the government says this number is expected to go up later on Monday when new data is published.
These deportations have included more than 800 people being off-shored aboard four chartered flights.
This is alongside the 609 people arrested over 828 raids in January.
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Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The immigration rules must be respected and enforced. For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken.
“Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel in a small boat, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people, the immigration system and our economy.
“That’s why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are boosting enforcement to record levels alongside tough new legislation to smash the criminal gangs that undermine our border security and who have been getting away with it for far too long.”
Cafes were among the businesses raided. Pic: PA
The government highlighted how a raid on a Cheshire vape shop led to 10 immigrant arrests and two criminal arrests – the latter for counterfeit documents.
Civil penalty referral notices were also made to employers.
Upon entering government, Labour immediately scrapped the Rwanda deportation scheme championed by various Conservative prime ministers.
The roughly 1,000 transferred staff that had been working on the programme have instead been used to help with the enforcement of immigration rules.
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The Conservatives still claim that the Rwanda scheme would work as a “deterrent” for illegal migrants.
Other measures the government has taken include launching adverts in Vietnam and Albania to dissuade potential migrants, and working with other countries to try to prevent people coming to the UK illegally.
In March, the UK will host a border security summit – with the government claiming more than 40 countries will come together alongside bodies like the EU to discuss illegal migration.
The government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is set to be debated in the House of Commons in its second reading this week.
But the bill has been criticised by Conservative opponents.
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Chris Philp MP, shadow home secretary, called it a “weak bill that won’t stop the boats”.
“Shockingly, the bill also restores an illegal migrant’s capability to claim indefinite leave to remain,” he added.
“This follows new research showing that if Labour don’t back the plan set out by Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives, millions more migrants could obtain ILR (indefinite leave to remain), costing the taxpayer £234bn. That is why Labour must back our amendment.
“Under new leadership, the Conservatives are coming up with effective and deliverable reforms to cut immigration. Our country is our home, not a hotel.”