30 August 2024: Guardian: UK immigration strategy increases risk of exploitation, say charities
Home secretary urged to to make it easier for undocumented migrants to regularise their immigration status
The government’s policy of ramping up immigration raids and detaining and deporting undocumented migrants is driving more people underground and increasing their risks of exploitation, dozens of charities have warned.
In a letter on Friday, coordinated by Migrant Voice, more than 80 organisations including Care4Calais, City of Sanctuary UK, Anti-Slavery International, Doctors of the World UK and Safe Passage International are calling on the home secretary to make it easier for undocumented migrants to regularise their immigration status so they can work with less risk of falling prey to exploitative 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.