LONDON: An Indian migrant has become the first person in the UK to be charged under a new law aimed at tackling illegal immigration.Hem Raj (24), an Indian national who lives in Smethwick, in the West Midlands, has been charged with creating online material promoting unlawful immigration to Britain, a new offence under Section 17 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025.Section 17 came into force on Feb 2, 2026, introducing an offence that criminalises the creation or publication of material whose purpose is to promote unlawful immigration services on an internet service. The maximum sentence is five years in prison, a fine, or both.Raj is accused of publishing social media posts offering advice to foreign nationals on fraudulent visa and asylum applications. It is the first time someone has been charged with the new offence as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.He has also been charged with, between Aug 2024 and Feb 2026, illegally providing immigration advice without the required authority or qualifications, in contravention of Sec 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act, 1999.Officers arrested Raj in Smethwick on Sept 15 and seized mobile phones. He appeared at Wolverhampton magistrates’ court on Sept 16. His case was sent to Wolverhampton crown court for a plea hearing on Oct 14. He was remanded on conditional bail, which requires him to wear a GPS ankle tag, live at his home address and not use any internet-enabled devices.Sec 17 allows for the prosecution of anyone who has created or published material that promotes unlawful immigration services on an internet service, whether their activity took place in the UK or overseas. UK prosecutors may arrest suspects on arrival in the UK or seek extradition for prosecution.
