From the Guardian · · 2m
Home Office raids net few arrests, mostly without warrants
Nearly two-thirds of immigration enforcement visits result in no arrests, and three-quarters happen without a warrant, raising concerns about 'fishing expeditions'.
In brief
Nearly two-thirds of immigration enforcement visits result in no arrests, and three-quarters happen without a warrant, raising concerns about 'fishing expeditions'. Home Office immigration raids under Shabana Mahmood have resulted in no arrests in 66 percent of cases and used warrants in only 26 percent, prompting…
Raids yield few arrests despite scale
The Home Office conducted 23,538 immigration enforcement engagements between June and October 2025, averaging 60 a day. Of these, 15,578, or 66.1%, resulted in no arrests.
Most raids conducted without warrants
Only 25.81% of visits where a premises was accessed used a warrant. Critics say this suggests the Home Office is launching fishing expeditions based on weak intelligence.
Most tips come from public, not police
Nearly nine out of ten, or 89%, of leads alleging immigration crime in 2025 came from the public or Crimestoppers, a charity collecting anonymous tip-offs. Around 2% came from police.
Restaurant raid disrupts business and community
Officers with no warrant raided Sultanz, an Indian restaurant in Camborne, Cornwall. Employee Nanu Mia was handcuffed and arrested but released after his sister brought his ID card proving he could work.
Raid aftermath harms innocent business
Restaurant owner Samsu Ali said customer numbers fell steeply after the raid despite being cleared of immigration breaches. Racist comments on Facebook about the incident left him struggling to sleep.
“They don't understand how much money and time I have spent in the last six years.”
Officers can enter without warrant in many cases
Immigration officers can enter licensed premises without a warrant under section 179 of the Licensing Act 2003. In most cases, more than 12,000 last year, they ask for consent from the tenant, manager or owner.
Former officer calls raids fishing expeditions
Kevin Barker, a former immigration officer now working with wrongly accused businesses, said raids are often fishing expeditions based on tenuous tip-offs and weak intelligence that would not support a search warrant.
“You're not allowed to apply for a search warrant if the intelligence you've got is old or an anonymous allegation that can't be corroborated … but it doesn't stop them.”
Green party calls for end to raids
Mothin Ali, deputy leader of the Green party, called the findings alarming and demanded the government end unjustified raids. He said the falling use of warrants raises serious questions about the legality of operations.
“This is racist harassment dressed up as immigration enforcement. Britain must not import Trump's ICE playbook.”
Arrests of foreign workers have doubled
Arrests of people from abroad working illegally in the UK have doubled since Labour came to government.
The one thing
Home Office immigration raids under Shabana Mahmood have resulted in no arrests in 66 percent of cases and used warrants in only 26 percent, prompting accusations of unfounded enforcement.
