Saudi Arabia deports 12,363 illegal residents in a week

Saudi authorities cracked down on 14,165 illegal residents over a week, August 27 to September 2, according to the Ministry of Interior. The crackdown involved joint inspections by security forces and relevant government agencies.

The most common violations were of the Residency Law, with 7,121 individuals arrested, followed by the Border Security Law, with 3,636 arrests, and the Labor Law, with 3,408 detainees. This brought the total number of illegal residents deported to 12,363.

Alongside deportations, 18,937 violators were referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 3,240 were directed to complete their travel reservations. The majority of those arrested while attempting to cross the border were Yemeni nationals (41%), followed by Ethiopian nationals (58%), and one percent belonged to other nationalities.

A total of 42 people were arrested for attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally, and 21 individuals involved in aiding violators by providing transportation, shelter, and employment were also apprehended. The Ministry of Interior has imposed severe penalties for those who facilitate illegal entry, including up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million.

The ministry urged the public to report any violations by calling the respective emergency numbers based on their location.