Public tips and Crimestoppers accounted for 89% of leads alleging immigration offenses in 2025, while two-thirds of UK immigration enforcement visits ended without an arrest, according to Home Office figures.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and The Guardian obtained the figures through freedom-of-information requests. The data covered 23,538 visits or engagements, including raids and spot checks; 15,578, or 66.1%, ended without an arrest. Officers used a warrant in 25.81% of visits where they accessed premises. Police supplied about 2% of the leads, the investigation found.
The reports said officers could use licensing powers at licensed premises or enter with consent from a tenant, manager or owner. They sought consent in more than 12,000 cases in 2025. The Bureau also cited a 2014 inspector’s finding that entry letters had been used unlawfully to get around warrant requirements.
Former immigration officer Kevin Barker told The Guardian that raids based on weak tips could become “fishing expeditions.” The Bureau reported that Barker said officers were encouraged to carry out many raids. The Home Office rejected his characterization and said officers review intelligence before conducting raids.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defended the expansion, saying it would help secure the UK’s borders and remove a key incentive for irregular migration. Migrant Rights Network’s Concepta Cassar argued the government had a political incentive to demonstrate control through enforcement, The Bureau reported.
At Sultanz, an Indian restaurant in Camborne, owner Samsu Ali said customer numbers fell after officers visited, though the business was cleared of immigration breaches. The Bureau and The Guardian reported that worker Nanu Mia was arrested and later released after his sister brought identification that helped establish his right to work. The Bureau’s reporting described businesses and workers as facing disruption and distress.
