Saudi Arabia deports 10,000 expats, arrests over 21,000 in major crackdown

Dubai: Saudi authorities have deported 10,000 expats over the past week as part of a nationwide crackdown on residency, labor, and border violations, the Ministry of Interior announced.

In joint field operations conducted across the kingdom, authorities apprehended more than 21,000 violators, including nearly 14,000 for residency infractions, 4,600 for border security violations, and more than 3,000 for labour law breaches.

The ministry reported that an additional 27,000 individuals were referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 2,300 others were in the process of finalising travel arrangements for deportation.

During the operations, security forces detained 1,477 individuals attempting to cross into Saudi Arabia illegally. Of these, 41% were Yemeni nationals, 55% were Ethiopians, and 4% were from other nationalities. Another 90 people were arrested while attempting to exit the country unlawfully.

Authorities also apprehended 18 individuals accused of harbouring, transporting, or employing undocumented expats, warning that those found guilty of facilitating illegal residency face severe penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, fines of up to 1 million Saudi riyals, and confiscation of vehicles or properties used to aid violators.

The ministry stressed that these offenses are classified as major crimes warranting arrest and are considered violations of public trust. It urged residents to report any violations via emergency hotlines, providing specific numbers for different regions.

Currently, 34,000 foreign nationals—31,000 men and 3,000 women—are being processed for legal action under the enforcement measures, the statement added.