Saudi Arabia deports 858,355 illegal residents since November 2017

JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia has deported at least 858,355 illegal foreigners since November 2017 in a nationwide crackdown that saw more than 3.44 million people rounded up in various parts of the Kingdom for violating residency and labor regulations.

The Interior Ministry said security forces apprehended a total of 3,443,455 expatriates in what is dubbed as a Nation Free of Illegals campaign until Thursday, July 4, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Friday quoting campaign officials.

The campaign was launched in mid-November 2017 with the participation of 19 ministries and government departments including the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Directorate General of Passports.

The officials said 2,684,975 people were arrested for violating the system of residency, 531,195 for not adhering to labor regulations and 227,285 for trying to breach border security.

They said 58,032 people were arrested while sneaking into the Kingdom through its southern borders. About 47 percent of the infiltrators were Yemenis, 50 percent Ethiopians and 3 percent from various other nationalities.

According to the campaign sources, 2,511 people were caught while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally while 3,988 people were charged with sheltering illegal residents by providing with accommodation and transportation. They included 1,372 Saudi nationals, of whom 1,331 were released after they underwent punishments while 41 others are still under investigation.

The sources said 13,000 illegal expatriates, including 11,047 men and 1,953 women, were currently being held in various detention centers in the country.

They said 446,179 violators were referred to their respective embassies and consulates to issue them travel documents while 569,346 were completing their flight bookings for final exit from the Kingdom.