Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reasons why British citizens were stopped by immigration enforcement teams more than any other nationality over the last two years in Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and London; and if she will make a statement.

Immigration Enforcement operations including visits, crime reduction and street operations play a critical role in detecting and deterring immigration abuse and reducing the harm caused by illegal immigration, such as modern slavery, people trafficking and smuggling. Immigration Enforcement do not carry out random visits and nor do they stop individuals at random; all operational activity is intelligence-led.

Immigration Enforcement officers are empowered to carry out an in-country examination of a person to establish their immigration status where they reasonably suspect that the person is in breach of immigration law. Where a person shows an adverse reaction to an immigration presence, typically attempting to flee from premises when Immigration Officers arrive, an Immigration Officer may arrest a person if that adverse reaction gives them reasonable grounds to suspect they may be in breach of immigration law. The person, if British, would be de-arrested as soon as their nationality was established. An arrest of a British citizen could also occur following a criminal offence such as the obstruction of an Immigration Officer in the execution of their duty and for assaulting an Immigration Officer.