(Arab News) Immigration officials in the UK have ramped up visits to religious centers in an effort to crack down on illegal migration, the Independent reported.
As part of the “hostile environment” strategy, launched in 2012 under former home secretary Theresa May, authorities have overseen a four-fold increase in visits to mosques, temples and churches since 2019 with the aim of targeting illegal immigrants.
The strategy was launched to make staying in the UK illegally as difficult as possible, with the government encouraging people to leave the country voluntarily.
In at least three cases this year, immigration authorities — the Home Office’s National Community Engagement Team — directly escorted people from religious sites to airports and aboard flights leaving the country.
Read more (alt: original source).
