Nearly 15,000 illegal residents were expelled from Saudi Arabia over a seven-day period last month, with authorities simultaneously arresting more than 11,300 others in one of the Kingdom’s most extensive recent immigration enforcement operations.
The Ministry of Interior said the sweeps ran from April 23 to 29, involving coordinated action between security forces and multiple government agencies. Breakdown of the arrests showed 6,244 held for residency violations, 3,543 for border security breaches, and 1,513 for labour-related infractions.
Beyond those deported or detained, the operation processed tens of thousands through administrative channels — 18,601 individuals were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 4,337 others were guided through departure procedures.
Attempted illegal entry also drew enforcement attention. Border authorities apprehended 1,330 people trying to cross into the Kingdom without authorisation, the majority of them Ethiopian nationals at 54 percent, with Yemenis comprising 43 percent. Fifty-one others were caught attempting to leave through unlawful means.
Fourteen individuals face charges for allegedly running facilitation networks — accused of transporting, housing, or employing people with no legal status in the country.
The ministry placed 29,913 expatriates under active legal proceedings. Those found guilty of enabling illegal entry or residency risk fines reaching SR1 million and prison terms of up to 15 years.
