Immigration minister James Brokenshire says sector is one of three to be targeted for raids

James Brokenshire

The government has pledged to clampdown on illegal immigration by targeting 鈥渞ogue employers鈥 across three sectors of the economy, including construction.

Suspected employers will be raided by enforcement teams, immigration minister James Brokenshire told the Times. The other two sectors singled out are care and cleaning.

He said the move was part of efforts to make the UK a more 鈥渉ostile environment鈥 for illegal immigration.

A raft of measures to crackdown on illegal immigration will be contained in the immigration bill, to be published this autumn.

Construction union GMB said the announcement was 鈥渕ore about grabbing news headlines than tackling exploitation鈥, and said expanding the role of the existing Gangmasters Licencing Authority was the 鈥渙nly way to deal with criminal gangsters鈥.