Home Office arrests more than 200 people for 'working illegally' in NI

The arrests were made by Immigration Enforcement over the past 12 months

More than 200 arrests of people suspected of working illegally have been made in Northern Ireland over the past year, the Home Office has said.

The arrests were made by Immigration Enforcement between October 2024 and September 2025.

It marks a 54% increase on the year before.

The Home Office said it was part of the "largest crackdown on illegal workers since records began" after an uplift of immigration raids on businesses across the UK.

It confirmed that "more than 8,000 illegal migrants" were detained across the UK within the past 12 months.

'Arrested, detained, removed'

The nationwide operation resulted in more than 1,050 foreign nationals being removed from the UK over the same period.

The government said it was "expanding right-to-work checks" into the so-called gig economy "where there are higher levels of illegal migrants seeking work".

Its £5m crackdown targeted businesses who often rely on casual or temporary workers, including fast food takeaways, beauty salons and car washes.

The Home Office said it aims to "shrink the black economy and penalise rogue employers who ignore immigration rules".

It highlighted the cases of three businesses - in Kilkeel, in County Down, and Larne and Carnlough, in County Antrim - which were the subject of recent immigration raids.

All three businesses were issued with civil penalty referral notices and the Home Office said they face "hefty fines if found liable".

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more.

"Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained and removed from this country.

"I will do whatever it takes to secure Britain's borders."