The Government views the United Kingdom’s border as a vital strategic asset, protecting the public from international threats, enforcing domestic laws and underpinning legitimate systems to enable citizens to go about their lives freely and confidently.
	The Border Security Command (BSC), headed by the Border Security Commander, is leading the required step change in the UK’s approach to border security. In addition to leading the UK’s strategic and operational response to small boats, the Command provides a clear and long-term vision for border security, bringing together and providing leadership to all parts of the system that work to maintain the integrity of the border and immigration systems, domestically and internationally.
	With the collective agreement of the Home Secretary and Prime Minister, the Border Security Commander will set the government’s strategic priorities for border security. The BSC will work closely with other government departments, including HMRC and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), as well as operational partners, including Border Force, the National Crime Agency (NCA), Immigration Enforcement and policing, to deliver on those priorities. This will ensure that the full range of capabilities, including that of the UK intelligence community, are maximised and brought to bear on those exploiting the UK border.
	The BSC’s first priority is tackling OIC and reducing illegal migration to the UK. While the techniques used by OCGs to facilitate illegal migration are growing increasingly sophisticated, the demand for their services also continues to rise in response to global instabilities, ranging from conflict to climate and economic factors.
	The Border Security Command is providing a new approach, which considers the end-to-end process of OIC, targeting each stage to make facilitation unviable and prevent OCGs from operating. The new approach to tackling OIC aims to:
Prevent: disincentivise migrants and deter OCGs from participating in OIC.
Pursue: disrupt OCGs and their criminal activity.
Protect: detect and act on OIC at the border.
Prepare: manage, learn from and adapt the UK’s response to tackling OIC.
Border Security