Immigration raids hit Indian restaurants in Britain

Many Britons recently had their evenings at Indian restaurants rudely interrupted by immigration raids being carried out to nab illegal workers, leading to a welter of protest from MPs and campaigners.

Since January, when the new immigration rules were announced, there have been reports of raids in Indian restaurants by immigration officials across Britain. In many cases, illegal workers were arrested.

The Indian restaurant industry is facing a decline due to the shortage of trained chefs, and inability to recruit from the Indian sub-continent due to the new immigrations rules.

The raids have worsened the situation further, leading to public protests against the immigration rules in Scotland and other places. The latest such raid was conducted this week in two Indian restaurants in York "" The Gate of India and Tandoori Nights.

Reports from York say that the two restaurants could face prosecution after the clandestine operation by officers of the Border and Immigation Agency uncovered four suspected illegal immigrant workers.

Three workers were questioned about their right to work in the UK and one arrest was made. Six workers out of the seven staff at Tandoori Nights were also questioned and three arrests were made.

The operations began after the Government announced plans late last year to introduce a new system of penalties that the businesses could face in the form of fine for every illegal worker employed and not only those arrested.

Responding to several such raids, Goa-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz called for a halt on immigration raids on South Asian restaurants. Vaz, who is the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee said the raids were having a devastating effect on Britain's catering industry and hamper the country's position as the cuisine capital of Europe.

Vaz and other MPs have received numerous complaints that officials from the Borders and Immigration Agency are targeting South Asian restaurants by dramatically entering them at peak hours forcing customers to leave their meals without paying and closing the restaurant.

They then question managers, waiters and chefs in full public view asking for immigration documentation. "There is little evidence to suggest that these raids have produced any significant evidence of illegality. All they seek to do is to cause mayhem in these restaurants costing the owners hundreds and thousands of pound. These are not just fishing expeditions these are targeted annihilations," Vaz said.

"There should be an immediate halt and instead a dialogue should be created with employers groups to see what can be done to stamp out illegal working. In 2008, it should not be a requirement for people to have to go to work with their passports."

This week, Maria Fernandes, Chairman of the Ethnic Minority Citizens Forum, joined over 350 Indian, Bangladeshi and Chinese restaurateurs at a public meeting with Minister for Immigration, MP, Liam Byrne to express a number of concerns about changes to the rules on work permits for Chefs.