Lewisham Council has become the first local authority in the UK to pass a motion that will review its work with Home Office immigration enforcement and refuse to assist on raids wherever 'legally possible'. The motion, proposed by the Green administration, was formally agreed during a meeting of Lewisham's full council on Wednesday evening, July 22.
Comprehensive review of systems and processes
The council is set to carry out a 'comprehensive review' of its systems and processes, with an aim of refusing to assist the Home Office or Immigration Enforcement teams during raids. The motion also includes reviewing the council's data-sharing and service agreements, as well as not using council resources or public money for immigration enforcement.
A Home Office spokesperson said while all immigration enforcement visits are intelligence led, they make 'no apology' for joining local authorities to enable information sharing and 'ultimately fighting criminals who fuel immigration crime'. They added: 'Since coming into power, [Labour] have increased Immigration Enforcement action to the highest level in British history. This has delivered an 83 per cent rise in illegal working arrests and 77 per cent rise in raids between 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025.'
Lewisham a 'major focus' for immigration enforcement
According to Home Office data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the grassroots organisation Lewisham Anti-Raids, Lewisham has become a 'major focus' for immigration enforcement. Data shows 177 raids occurred in the SE13 area during 2025.
Cllr Hau-Yu Tam, who proposed the motion, said in January 2026 there had been an immigration raid at a nail bar in Catford and a car wash in Brockley which was attended by the then-Immigration Minister, Mike Tapp and a Sky News film crew. Cllr Tam, Cabinet Member for Communities, Sanctuary and Healing, told the council chamber: 'Despite the resources, despite the spectacle, only two people were arrested and both [were] later released on bail. A few months later, a nail bar was raided again, and again a few days after.'
She added: 'According to local accounts, Chinese women workers were filmed, handcuffed and intimidated by a large officer team. They were not arrested, but they were intimidated. That is political theatre. That is a theatre of cruelty. And if the purpose of race is simply enforcement, we should judge them by outcomes, but according to Unseen and other organisations, there's no evidence these operations are making our community safer. Our immigration system is broken.'
Migrant Champion speaks from experience
The motion was seconded by Cllr Wellington Gil, the council's first Migrant Champion, who spoke from his own experiences as a migrant. Cllr Gil said: 'Imagine for a moment that you are working down the street on your way to work or the supermarket, and because of the colour of your skin, your accent, or your appearances, immigration officers stop you, intimidate you, or make you believe that they have the same powers of the police. Imagine that you own a small business, work hard, pay your taxes, and still receive intimidating visits from immigration officers simply because they know you are a migrant. That is a disgrace. These are deeply racist practices.'
The motion has also committed to working with Lewisham Anti-Raids to support migrant businesses and people targeted by raids understand their legal rights during immigration enforcement operations.
Lewisham 'Borough of Sanctuary'
In 2021 Lewisham became the UK's first Borough of Sanctuary, an award granted by City of Sanctuary UK, which recognises the borough's work in supporting those fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries and protecting the rights of all migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Following Wednesday night's meeting, Mayor of Lewisham, Liam Shrivastava, said: 'I'm incredibly proud that Lewisham Council has made this historic decision to defend our migrant workers against the hostile environment. Immigration raids do not build safety in our communities, they spread fear and make it even harder for victims of modern slavery and trafficking to come forward and seek protection. Lewisham is now a true Borough of Sanctuary, in name and in practice.'
Griff Ferris, a spokesperson for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, which supported the Greens with their motion, said: 'We're proud to have supported Lewisham with this historic vote, and we will support other councils to reject the Home Office's racist policies and raids. Every day people are resisting immigration raids in their homes, and you can resist wherever you are, whether it's in Lewisham, Sheffield, Manchester or elsewhere, by joining your local anti-raids group.'
Sanctuary corridor across London
Lewisham will also work with Lambeth and other Green-led councils to build an anti-raids 'Sanctuary corridor' across London, which aims to work with migrant organisations, anti-raids networks, law centres, faith and community groups. Last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported on how Lambeth Council is also reviewing how it shares information and intelligence with Immigration Enforcement, including current policies, practices and partnerships.
Cllr Jonathan Bartley, Cabinet Member for Safer, Thriving Neighbourhoods at Lambeth Council, said: 'There will be many people whose immigration status is unclear, and they will be often be exploited by a landlord or exploited in terrible working conditions. They will be suffering and they will not come forward for help, while they feel that they can't trust the council, and while they feel that the council might pass on their details to Immigration Enforcement and they might be put in a detention centre. It is absolutely crucial to get the trust of residents who I think probably more often than not will be exploited because they are in a very vulnerable situation.'
