Green-led Lewisham Council has approved a motion calling for a review of the authority's cooperation with Home Office Immigration Enforcement, with the stated aim of refusing assistance "wherever legally possible".
The motion was brought forward following the Green Party's victory in the 2026 local elections, which saw Liam Shrivastava elected as Mayor of Lewisham and the party take control of the council.
Under the motion, the council will review its policies, procedures and relationships with immigration enforcement agencies to determine where cooperation can lawfully be limited. It also commits the council to working with community organisations to help residents understand their legal rights during immigration enforcement operations.
In explaining the proposal, Mayor Liam Shrivastava has said he wants Lewisham to become an "anti-raids borough", arguing that the council should protect migrant communities while acting within the law.
Supporters of the motion say it reflects Lewisham's long-standing status as a Borough of Sanctuary and is intended to build trust between local communities and public services.
Critics, however, argue that councils should cooperate with the Home Office in enforcing immigration law and have questioned whether limiting assistance could hinder immigration enforcement operations.
The motion does not prevent the Home Office or Immigration Enforcement from carrying out operations in Lewisham. Instead, it relates to the extent to which the council itself will cooperate with those activities, subject to its legal obligations.
The Home Office has previously said that immigration enforcement operations are intelligence-led and form part of efforts to tackle illegal working and breaches of immigration law.