New statistics released late on 5 February show that 15,200 people without leave to remain have been forcibly removed from the UK since Labour took office—a 45 percent jump on the previous comparable period—while 43,000 others left ‘voluntarily’ after being contacted by immigration enforcement. Removals of foreign national offenders rose 32 percent to 8,700.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government will ‘scale up’ operations further, including by restricting appellants to a single legal route under the European Convention on Human Rights. Draft legislation is expected before Easter.
The announcement is part of a broader strategy to end hotel accommodation for asylum seekers, replace it with disused military sites and curb small-boat crossings, which have topped 65,000 since July 2024.
![Home Office touts record 60,000 removals since 2024 election as deportation drive intensifies]()
For global-mobility programmes the figures confirm that overstaying and minor criminality now carry sharper consequences. Employers should audit right-to-work systems, ensure expiring visas are renewed well before deadline, and prepare for more frequent Home Office compliance visits. Any failure to maintain accurate sponsorship records could lead to licence downgrades or revocation at a time when the government is keen to publicise enforcement wins.
Against that backdrop, organisations may wish to partner with specialist providers. VisaHQ’s UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers automated visa-expiry alerts, document validation and end-to-end application support, helping employers and assignees stay ahead of compliance deadlines and reduce the risk of enforcement action.
Advocacy groups condemn the rhetoric as stoking xenophobia and warn that rapid removals risk wrongful deportations reminiscent of the Windrush scandal. A forthcoming parliamentary inquiry into due-process safeguards could shape future corporate-sponsorship obligations. (theguardian.com)
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government will ‘scale up’ operations further, including by restricting appellants to a single legal route under the European Convention on Human Rights. Draft legislation is expected before Easter.
The announcement is part of a broader strategy to end hotel accommodation for asylum seekers, replace it with disused military sites and curb small-boat crossings, which have topped 65,000 since July 2024.
For global-mobility programmes the figures confirm that overstaying and minor criminality now carry sharper consequences. Employers should audit right-to-work systems, ensure expiring visas are renewed well before deadline, and prepare for more frequent Home Office compliance visits. Any failure to maintain accurate sponsorship records could lead to licence downgrades or revocation at a time when the government is keen to publicise enforcement wins.
Against that backdrop, organisations may wish to partner with specialist providers. VisaHQ’s UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers automated visa-expiry alerts, document validation and end-to-end application support, helping employers and assignees stay ahead of compliance deadlines and reduce the risk of enforcement action.
Advocacy groups condemn the rhetoric as stoking xenophobia and warn that rapid removals risk wrongful deportations reminiscent of the Windrush scandal. A forthcoming parliamentary inquiry into due-process safeguards could shape future corporate-sponsorship obligations. (theguardian.com)
