Home Secretary announces new measures to boost Britain’s border security

New measures to boost Britain’s border security are being set out today by the Home Secretary, including the immediate recruitment of up to 100 new specialist intelligence and investigation officers at the National Crime Agency (NCA) to target, dismantle and disrupt organised immigration crime networks.

Yvette Cooper has also today announced a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity, to make sure that immigration and asylum rules are respected and enforced - saying that the government has new plans for the next 6 months to achieve the highest rate of removals of those with no right to be here, including failed asylum seekers, for 5 years (since 2018). 

In addition, a new intelligence-driven illegal working programme will be rolled out to target, investigate and take down unscrupulous employers who illegally employ those with no right to work here.

The new measures are fulfilling on the government’s commitment to provide long-term security to our borders.

Among other things, they include the following measures:

• a large surge in enforcement and returns flights, with the aim of putting removals at their highest level since 2018, reversing the damaging drop in enforcement over recent years
• redeployment of staff to drive this increase in returns 
• sanctions to be taken against unscrupulous employers who hire workers illegally

This comes on top of the 50% uplift in the number of NCA officers stationed in Europol. These officers have been immediately deployed to support European operations to disrupt the activity of criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings.    

Since taking office, the Home Secretary has also held calls with a range of partners to discuss increasing cooperation to tackle organised immigration crime.