Support migrant centric journalism today and donate
The BBC reports this week that one UK landlord who provided housing for immigrants has been jailed for a year.
Michael Nevin, 36, of West End, Penwortham, Lancashire, admitted 25 charges of facilitating breaches of UK immigration law.
Liverpool Crown Court was told Nevin had provided accommodation for the immigrants, who were from eastern Europe, at two properties in Southport. They were discovered after police raids in April 2004.
Officers swooped on two properties in The Promenade and Victoria Street and found 34 people, 25 of whom were in the country illegally. Around half of them worked in food processing or agriculture, the court heard, and Nevin was responsible for providing accommodation, transport and contracts with an employment agency for the immigrants. He made hundreds of pounds a week from rent.
Judge Mark Brown told Nevin he had not exploited them but people "such as you who take advantage of the system undermine the state's actions in a serious way".
He added: "This case involves exploitation of the system and for financial gain - a business in people's lives."
