Migrant crackdown sees UK Border Force set for controversial new power | UK | News
Border Force officers will soon be able to order anyone caught entering the UK illegally to remove their coat, jacket or gloves and open their mouths so hidden SIM cards or electronic devices can be found under tough new powers that will become law this week. The measures, which are part of Labour’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill and are expected to receive royal assent within days, mark a significant increase in frontline searches for suspected illegal immigrants.
Officers will be allowed to request removal of outer clothing and check the inside of a person’s mouth, but will not be allowed to go further than that unless an arrest is made. Anyone who refuses could face “reasonable force” and be jailed for up to 51 weeks if they deliberately obstruct.
The same officers will also have the authority to immediately seize and search mobile phones, tablets and laptops, without waiting for arrest, when there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that the device contains evidence against human trafficking gangs.
New funding has been secured for cutting-edge AI tools that can quickly scan thousands of messages, people and images, allowing researchers to identify organizers in hours rather than months.
The National Crime Agency and police officers will obtain additional temporary Serious Crime Prevention Orders, which will allow courts to immediately ban trafficking suspects from using phones or social media, even before charges are laid.
Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said: “Organised crime networks rely on telephone contacts and social media to recruit migrants for Channel crossings.
“These new powers will allow law enforcement to seize phones from illegal immigrants before they are arrested, so we can gather intelligence and stop these vile smuggling gangs before they attempt to risk more lives on these dangerous journeys.”
The government claims early success as since Border Security Command was established in July 2024, there have been nearly 4,000 disruptions of organized immigration crime and the permanent dismantling of nearly 900 smuggling networks in the first quarter of this financial year, leading to a 33% increase in arrests, convictions and cash seizures.
So far in 2025, more than 39,000 people have arrived by small boat; Although there is a 17% increase compared to last year, it is still below the 2022 record.
The new search and seizure powers will come into force immediately across the UK once the bill becomes law and will apply to anyone encountered following unlawful entry by boat, truck or other means.
