Britain’s government has launched a TikTok account featuring footage of raids on migrants suspected of working illegally, as part of an effort to persuade voters and potential arrivals that it is getting to grips with immigration.
The account, securebordersuk, has posted a 20-second video showing armoured officers forcing entry to premises, people being escorted from workplaces in handcuffs and aircraft taking off. Set to dramatic music, on-screen text highlights a rise in enforcement raids and deportations, ending with the message: “And it’s just getting started.”
The move forms part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s attempt to rebuild public support after 18 months in office, during which his Labour Party has fallen well behind Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK in opinion polls.
A spokesperson for Starmer said the channel was intended to reach a broader audience, challenge misinformation online and speak directly to migrants considering coming to Britain.
Several European governments have also adopted a tougher approach to migration. Surveys consistently rank immigration as a leading concern among British voters, with Ipsos polling in 2025 showing Reform as the party most trusted on the issue.
The government says that since taking office in July 2024, enforcement action against illegal working has reached record levels. It reports a 77% increase in workplace raids and an 83% rise in arrests, targeting businesses such as nail salons, car washes and barbers.
The so-called black economy is often cited as a key factor encouraging tens of thousands of migrants to attempt illegal crossings to Britain in small boats from France.
Against a backdrop of public spending cuts and higher taxes, irregular boat crossings have become a focal point of political debate, with more than 40,000 arrivals recorded in 2025.
While such crossings make up only a small share of overall net migration — which is declining sharply as stricter visa rules take effect — they continue to attract intense public attention.
The TikTok video drew criticism from across the political spectrum, with some arguing the government should go further, while others said the footage was insensitive to those shown.
“This government is clearly addicted to scoring cheap political points by turning the brutality of enforcement raids into click-bait online entertainment,” said Sile Reynolds, head of asylum advocacy at the charity Freedom from Torture.
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