Lewisham council, under Green Party mayor Liam Shrivastava, has committed to refusing assistance with government operations targeting illegal migrants, becoming the first local authority in the United Kingdom to take such a stance. This decision follows the council’s support for Lewisham Anti-Raids, a group that organises community resistance against immigration enforcement actions, including surrounding Home Office vehicles transporting migrants to detention centres.
The council passed a motion this week pledging not to use public funds or council resources to support immigration raids. It also announced plans to review its data-sharing agreements with the central government to establish a “clear firewall” between council services and immigration enforcement efforts. Lewisham Anti-Raids is affiliated with the broader Anti-Raids network, established in 2012, which encourages communities to resist immigration raids, including by confronting enforcement squads and attempting to impede the movement of detainees.
The group has faced criticism for its imagery posted on social media, including an illustration showing a Home Office immigration van depicted as set on fire, accompanied by the word “resist.” Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, described the image as “tantamount to incitement to violence” and called for a police investigation. He condemned the council’s position, stating that it undermines the rule of law democratically established by Parliament and damages efforts to enforce immigration laws.
In response to the council’s motion, a Home Office spokesperson emphasized the importance of immigration enforcement in tackling illegal work and said local authority decisions would not obstruct removal operations. The government cited a marked increase in enforcement activity, noting an 83% rise in arrests for illegal working and a 77% rise in raids between mid-2020 and the end of 2025.
The decision by Lewisham council followed the discovery of a Home Office email requesting support for “joint operational visits” involving immigration enforcement. The motion was introduced by Green councillor Hau-Yu Tam, who recently was cleared of complaints related to the use of an ethnic slur and the posting of anti-Zionist remarks on social media; she has since issued an apology for the language used.
Lewisham Anti-Raids defended its activities by criticizing the government’s immigration policies, stating they cause harm and death among migrant communities. The group highlighted the risks migrants face both in their journeys to Europe and while navigating asylum systems, framing borders as instruments of systemic inequality rooted in colonialism, racism, and class divisions.
The Green Party has been approached for further comment on the council’s stance and its cooperation with activist groups opposing immigration enforcement.