London

Continuing her crackdown on illegal immigration, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said fines will be more than tripled for employers and landlords who rent out their properties and allow illegal migrants to work for them.

The civil penalty for employers, which was last increased in 2014, will be raised to up to 45,000 pounds per illegal worker for a first breach from 15,000 pounds, and up to 60,000 pounds for repeat breaches from 20,000 pounds.

For landlords the fines will increase from 80 pounds per lodger and 1,000 pounds per occupier for a first breach to up to 5,000 pounds per lodger and 10,000 pounds per occupier. Repeat breaches will be up to 10,000 pounds per lodger and 20,000 pounds per occupier, up from 500 and 3,000 pounds respectively, the UK Home Office announced in a statement Monday.

Since the start of 2018, almost 5,000 civil penalties have been issued to employers with a total value of 88.4 million pounds. Meanwhile, landlords have been hit with over 320 civil penalties worth a total of 215,500 pounds in the same period.

Making it harder for illegal migrants to work and operate in the UK is vital to deterring dangerous, unnecessary small boat crossings. Unscrupulous landlords and employers who allow illegal working and renting enable the business model of the evil people smugglers to continue, Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick said.