Question
Following the answer to the question about the relationship between PSNI and Home Office immigration team raids on businesses and workplaces in Northern Ireland.
Does PSNI and the Home Office and/ or its immigration enforcement arm have any MoU or other documents that set out the arrangements that apply to such raids or other activities in Northern Ireland and if so, could PSNI supply a copy of those documents?
Answer
PSNI take no direct involvement in respect to immigration enforcement regarding Home Office operations conducted on businesses or workplaces.
As with any enforcement partner, requests can be made for police attendance in respect to preventing a breach of the peace. Each of these requests are considered within the individual context in which they are made and against the statutory responsibilities of the PSNI. If police do attend any location in order to prevent a breach of the peace, this remains their primary role, with no expectation that police officers will conduct wider enforcement activity.
It is important to note that the Home Office Immigration Enforcement are their own branch of law enforcement and are not required to engage PSNI assistance in their operations. The Home Office does have a current data sharing agreement in respect of Immigration Enforcement with PSNI and other UK police services. A link to the Process Specific Data Sharing Agreement, signed by DCC Singleton in February 2025 is as follows – immigration-enforcement-pdsa-for-publication.pdf.
The Home Office will share information relating to planned visits to commercial or
residential premises by Immigration Compliance & Enforcement operational teams as part of the Operational Notification Form process. The PSNI will provide information in response to requests to identify warning markers in advance of operational visits following receipt of an Operational Notification Form. A link to Immigration Enforcement Planning Assessments guidance which references the ONF process is as follows - Enforcement planning assessments (accessible) - GOV.UK
Les Allamby