VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Undocumented Migrants: Northern Ireland

Asked by Jim AllisterTraditional Unionist VoiceHome OfficeTabled Answered 1 May 2025UIN 48832

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are in place to check the movement of people over the Northern Ireland-Republic land border to identify illegal immigrants with no right to access the Common Travel Area.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

As the Hon Member will be aware, no immigration checks are undertaken on the Northern Ireland-Republic land border, but our enforcement agencies do operate intelligence-led operational activity throughout the UK to ensure that all individuals within our territory, regardless of where they enter from, meet the UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone who fails to do so is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

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