Now, deportation from the UK is also being planned after that of America. The illegal immigrants are being targeted by the Labour government in the UK. The campaign is now focusing on petty industries like Indian restaurants, nail bars, grocery stores, and car washes.
Recently, raids were held at 828 locations. 609 arrests were made as part of the raid activity. Most were Punjabis who went to the UK on a study or tourist visa and lived in illegal status in the UK after their visa lapsed.
As a result of this strict action of the UK government, heavy fines are also being imposed on employers who employ illegal immigrants. For keeping an illegal employee, the owner may expect to pay a fine as large as 60,000 pounds (60 lakh rupees).
It’s apparently in sync with the tough immigration policy of the US president, Donald Trump, who has recently begun a massive program to hunt down illegal immigrants in the country, said Kirpal Singh from the UK.
The campaign has caused great anxiety among the Indian community prevalent in Britain, more so among small business owners who fear the heavy fines they might have to face if any of their staff members happen to be illegal immigrants.
Indian expatriate community in the UK
The Indian expatriate community is one of the largest groups in the UK and has strong cultural and economic ties with both countries. Many illegal Indian immigrants in the UK have come through legal channels, such as student or work visas, but later entered into an irregular status due to various administrative hurdles, economic difficulties, or lack of proper legal guidance.
The government says that they are forced to live under abysmal conditions. Some human rights organizations said that instead of kicking illegal immigrants out, the government should allow them to legalize their lives, but the government is adamant about continuing the tough stance. “Those who abuse our system will be met with strength,” said Eddie Montgomery, the enforcement chief at the Home Office.
Currently, over 7 lakh Punjabis in the UK
As of now, there are over 700,000 Punjabis in the UK, most of whom are Sikhs. Since 2008, the UK has liberalized study visa regulations, and a large number of youth have availed the opportunity to travel to the UK on a study visa. As per the most recent statistics, there is one million students in Britain for whom English is a second language and Punjabi is the most spoken language among students whose first language is not English.
There are reports that a fair number of Indian students going for studies in the UK are from Punjab. Nearly 40% of Indian student visa holders in the UK are of Punjabi origin, which symbolizes a huge number of Punjabi students doing higher education in the UK.
UK is preparing for strict action against these people
According to a prominent personality in the UK, Mr. Paramjit Singh Bansal, over 108130 people claimed asylum in Britain in the year ending December 2024, the highest report since 1979. In the year 2024, 32 percent of asylum claims are from people coming from small boats. In 2024, 36,816 persons reached the UK in small boats. The UK is now preparing to take strict actions against working against such persons. After America, the deportation preparations from the UK in Punjab are on their way.
