Last week, Reuters reported how tech platforms could be forced to remove videos that show “in a positive light” illegal immigrants arriving in Britain using small boats. Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said that this would help “to better tackle illegal immigration encouraged by organised gangs.”
"Aiding, abetting, counselling, conspiring etc. those offences by posting videos of people crossing the channel which show that activity in a positive light could be an offence that is committed online," Donelan said.
Now, in another effort to crack down on illegal immigration, the United Kingdom is blocking off access to bank accounts, home rentals and driver’s licenses, among other things, for immigrants in the country illegally who are working in the black market.
According to Fox News Digital, the country’s immigration minister Robert Jenrick will spearhead a task force to ensure that only residents eligible to work in the country can access benefits and public services. The task force will increase raids on illegal employers, as well, and include a 50 percent increase in immigration enforcement visits to construction sites and car washes to check for illegal immigrants working in the U.K.
Jenrick reportedly said that illegal employers harm the country by "cheating honest workers of employment, putting vulnerable people at risk, and defrauding the public purse.”
"Our Immigration Enforcement teams are working round the clock to bring those violating our laws to justice. It’s our priority to crack down on this crime and empower law enforcement to remove illegal migrants," he added.
Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to tackle the issue of illegal immigration, which usually occurs on small boats via the English channel. Last year, more than 45,700 people crossed the Channel to the country, a record high and up 60 percent compared to 2021, PBS noted.
“We will pass new laws to stop small boats, making sure that if you come to this country illegally, you are detained and swiftly removed,” Sunak said.
Last year, a small boat coming from France to Britain capsized, causing the deaths of four people. In 2021, a separate incident in the Channel killed 27 people who attempted to cross in an inflatable boat.