Lewisham council, led by the Green party, is set to vote on a motion to end cooperation with the Home Office on immigration raids. This follows evidence suggesting the Home Office sought to use environmental health data to target restaurant workers.
This development signifies a potential shift in local government cooperation with national immigration enforcement, highlighting growing political friction over immigration policies and raising questions about the balance between public health data and immigration enforcement.
A Green-led London council, Lewisham, is preparing to vote on a motion that would prohibit its officials from collaborating with the Home Office on immigration raids. This move comes after council officials discovered an email indicating the Home Office's immigration enforcement team had requested assistance with "joint operational visits" and potentially using environmental health data to target restaurant workers.
Green party leaders are championing this initiative as part of a broader effort to establish a "green crescent" of sanctuary boroughs across London, aiming to create safe spaces for individuals regardless of their immigration status. Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, expressed pride in these councils working to prevent people from living in fear of deportation.
A Home Office spokesperson defended its practices, stating the department maintains a "collaborative relationship" with local authorities and "makes no apology for joining forces with local authorities to enable information sharing and ultimately fighting criminals who fuel immigration crime." The department also highlighted a significant increase in business raids and arrests since the 2024 election.
However, the effectiveness of these raids is debated. Peter Walsh, a senior researcher at the Migration Observatory, noted that while workplace enforcement may deter some employers, raids only reach a fraction of undocumented individuals and can be costly and resource-intensive.
The Green party's push for sanctuary boroughs gained momentum following their electoral successes in May. Lewisham itself was previously designated a "sanctuary borough" in 2021. The proposed review by Lewisham council will also examine contracts with organizations that have facilitated raids, such as the homelessness charity St Mungo's, which previously apologized for sharing information with the Home Office.
The motion is expected to pass easily given the Green party's substantial majority on the council, with 40 out of 54 seats.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.