On August 21, 2024, the UK Home Office announced the recruitment of up to 100 intelligence officers for the National Crime Agency (NCA) to tackle organized crime gangs exploiting asylum seekers using small boats to cross the English Channel. This initiative forms a crucial part of the UK government's strategy to address illegal immigration and criminal activities, aiming to curb these criminal networks' operations facilitating unlawful entry into the UK.
The newly recruited intelligence officers will be tasked with gathering and analyzing intelligence related to organized crime gangs, assisting law enforcement in dismantling these networks more effectively. The Home Office also plans to enhance its capacity to detain immigrants and increase efforts to combat companies employing illegal labor. These measures aim to ensure that all breaches of immigration laws are rigorously enforced and to improve oversight of the illegal labor market.
According to the Home Office statement, the government intends to raise the deportation rate to its highest level since 2018 over the next six months. This plan will include rejected asylum seekers and all individuals violating immigration laws. Through these measures, the government hopes to strengthen the UK's border security, curb illegal immigration, and uphold the fairness and efficiency of the immigration system.
Since the beginning of this year, the UK government has accelerated its efforts to combat illegal immigration. Data released on January 2, 2024, shows that the number of illegal immigrant boats arriving in the UK decreased by 36% compared to last year, with 112,000 asylum applications processed. Following one of the worst riots in over a decade in late July, Prime Minister Starmer announced plans to increase the deportation rate of individuals without legal residency to its highest level in five years, addressing public concerns about rising immigration.