Numerous nonprofit organizations have expressed concern that the government's increased use of immigration raids, as well as the detention and deportation of undocumented migrants, is forcing more individuals into hiding and raising their vulnerability to exploitation. 

More than 80 organizations, including Care4Calais, City of Sanctuary UK, Anti-Slavery International, Doctors of the World UK, and Safe Passage International, called on the home secretary to make it easier for undocumented migrants to regularize their immigration status on Friday in a letter coordinated by Migrant Voice. This would allow them to work with less fear of becoming victims of predatory employers and human trafficking gangs.

On 27 August, the Home Office announced it had conducted a week-long “intensive operation” into illegal working with 275 premises targeted, 135 of them receiving notices for employing illegal workers.

Although the government says it wants to protect vulnerable people exploited by unscrupulous employers, 85 “illegal workers” were detained in the operation.

“While this operation marks an important step forward, our commitment to tackling this issue is ongoing. We will ensure those who break the rules face the full force of the law,” the home secretary said.

The government deported more than 200 people to Brazil this month, the largest single deportation on record. Since Labour came to power there have been at least nine deportation charter flights.

Nazek Ramadan, the director of Migrant Voice, said: “Immigration raids and deportations do not address the fundamental issue that the majority of those who become undocumented in the UK do so through no fault of their own.

“Issues such as errors on paperwork or a lack of communication from the Home Office can lead to people who have lived in the UK for decades losing status overnight.

“Rather than penalising people for becoming undocumented, this government must take a new approach and create simpler routes for them to regain a documented status.”

Many undocumented individuals have lived in the UK for years or even decades and have established lives and families there. The letter states that a policy of regularisation would cost less than policies of detention and deportation and boost economic growth through increasing the number of people, who are already here, being able to contribute more to the economy.

Ramadan added: “People don’t feel safe. The raids are very traumatising for them. People who are already vulnerable are becoming more vulnerable and are going further underground. We are seeing more and more raids on businesses and homes.

“This government has made it clear they want to deport a larger number of people. Many governments have tried and failed with this policy. They think the only way forward is to be tough. Regularisation is a better solution. It allows people to come out of the shadows and live a normal life.

“We want the new government to adopt a new way of thinking about this. It’s time to change the narrative. Migration is normal.” 

Source: The Guardian