An urgent probe has been launched after Home Office translators were accused of running a "scam" to assist illegal migrants dodge detention.
The investigation revealed interpreters charge £3,000 to act as fake guarantors who deceive judges during bail hearings for detained immigrants.
These fake guarantors falsely promise the court that immigrants will stay at their homes if released, the Daily Mail found - despite having no real connection to the detainees and let them live anywhere once freed.
The scheme primarily targets Albanians who entered the UK illegally with fake passports or arrived via small boats and lorries.
Discarded small boat on the beachGB NewsNow, the Home Office has launched an urgent investigation into the scandal, promising "prompt and decisive action if necessary".
The Solicitors' watchdog has also started to investigate after a lawyer was caught willing to take cases involving paid guarantors.
The woman in charge of the scam boasted it was "100 per cent" successful, according to the Mail's investigation, explaining that because she and her accomplices worked as freelance translators for the Home Office, they knew "everything" about how the immigration system operated from the inside.
The scheme involves providing both guarantors and detained migrants with "scripts" of what to say during hearings and Urgent probe launched after Home Office translators accused of running 'SCAM' to assist illegal migrants evade detention.
When the undercover reporter expressed concerns about judges detecting the fraud, the translator scoffed: "Do you think the Government care? Come on, please."
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Other similar fake guarantor operations continue being run by Albanians in the UK.
A freelance interpreter who works for the Home Office, courts and police, met with the undercover reporter near her home in Welling, Kent.
The interpreter, who herself arrived in the UK on the back of a lorry using a fake passport, explained the entire operation, reassuring the reporter not to be "scared" about the scam being discovered, saying she and a solicitor would brief them before the bail hearing.
The reporter later met with solicitor Hassan Malik at his offices in Rainham, Essex.
Despite being told three times that the immigrant and guarantor would not know each other, and being aware of the £3,000 payment, Malik agreed to proceed with the case.
He quoted £3,500 in legal fees for his services.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp slammed the fraud as a 'disgrace'
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Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned the scam as "a disgrace", adding: "These interpreters are paid to maintain the integrity of the system, but are in fact cheating the system and cheating the British public - often to help illegal immigrants stay in the country."
He subsequently called for the translators to be "immediately" fired and an investigation for suspected fraud and contempt of court.
"The whole immigration system is being exploited by illegal immigrants on an industrial scale and radical reform is needed," he added.
A Solicitors Regulation Authority spokesman said: "All solicitors must meet the high professional standards the public expects. This report raises serious concerns. We are investigating, and if we find evidence of wrongdoing, we will take action to protect the public."
Malik denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he was unaware of payments to the guarantor.
