Lewisham Council Votes to Refuse Cooperation with Immigration Raids

Lewisham Council has officially positioned itself on a collision course with national enforcement authorities. In a decision passed by the administration, the local authority voted to refuse support for immigration raids wherever legally possible, making it what is believed to be the first council in the United Kingdom to adopt such a policy.

Lewisham Mayor Liam Shrivastava and the Sanctuary Corridor Motion

The motion, titled Building an anti-raids Sanctuary Corridor in and beyond Lewisham, was proposed by Green Councillor Hau-Yu Tam and seconded by Councillor Wellington Gill. It secures backing from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, according to localgov.co.uk. The strategy directs the local authority to conduct a comprehensive review of its administrative systems, data-sharing protocols, and service agreements to prevent what proponents term a digital hostile environment.

“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.”

Mayor Liam Shrivastava, via localgov.co.uk

As part of the initiative, the council plans to collaborate with neighboring Lambeth and other Green-led local authorities. The goal is to establish an anti-raids sanctuary corridor across London, sharing best practices with migrant organizations, law centres, and faith groups.

Rising Enforcement Actions and Local Raids Data

The local policy pivot arrives against a backdrop of intensified national immigration enforcement.

Under the newly passed framework, the local administration intends to work alongside Lewisham Anti-Raids to inform businesses and targeted residents about their legal rights. Furthermore, the council will avoid spending public money or deploying municipal resources to facilitate immigration enforcement operations.

Home Office Pushback and Parliamentary Criticism

National authorities have rejected the council’s stance, maintaining that enforcement visits are essential for targeting rogue employers and dismantling criminal networks. A Home Office spokesperson defended the government’s record.

“While all immigration enforcement visits are intelligence led, we make no apology for joining forces with local authorities to enable information sharing and ultimately fighting criminals who fuel immigration crime. Since coming into power, we have increased Immigration Enforcement action to the highest level in British history. This has delivered an 83% rise in illegal working arrests and 77% rise in raids between 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025.”

Home Office Spokesperson, via ITVX

Political opposition has also mounted. Philp called for police investigations into the imagery, characterizing the council’s resistance as an attempt to obstruct laws enacted by Parliament.

Next Steps for the Sanctuary Corridor Initiative

Whether neighboring authorities will fully operationalize parallel sanctuary corridors across the capital remains the central operational question as central government enforcement actions continue to scale upward.