Britain to start detaining asylum seekers from Monday, according to reports

It is thought the launch of the operation has been timed to coincide with Thursday’s local council elections in England, to boost British prime minister Rishi Sunak’s claims he is cracking down on illegal migration.

Britain's Home Office is to launch a surprise operation to detain asylum seekers across the UK on Monday in preparation for deportation to Rwanda, weeks earlier than expected, the Guardian has reported.

Officials plan to hold refugees who turn up for routine meetings at immigration service offices and will also pick people up nationwide in a two-week exercise.