Saudi Arabia Deports Over 10k Illegal Residents After Nationwide Crackdown

• Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior carried out mass arrests during a week-long crackdown on residency, labour and border violations
• Authorities intercepted 1,593 people attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally, with Ethiopians making up the majority of those detained
• The ministry warned that sheltering or employing illegal residents could result in up to 15 years in prison and a SR1 million fine

Saudi Arabia has deported 10,827 people in a single week following a nationwide enforcement campaign.

This comes following the arrest of 14,440 individuals found to be in breach of the country's residency, labour and border laws, the Ministry of Interior announced.

According to Gulf News, the sweep, which ran from 30 July to 5 August, was conducted through coordinated inspection operations involving security forces and relevant government agencies across the Kingdom.

Breakdown of arrests across violation categories

Of those detained, 7,090 were held for residency-related offences, 3,932 for breaching border security laws, and 3,418 for labour law infractions.

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A total of 18,131 violators were referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 6,357 were being processed for deportation pending completion of travel arrangements.

Security forces separately apprehended 1,593 individuals caught attempting to enter Saudi Arabia without authorisation.

Ethiopians accounted for 59 per cent of that group, Yemeni nationals made up 40 per cent, and the remaining 1 per cent were of other nationalities. A further 32 people were caught trying to exit the Kingdom through unauthorised channels.

The ministry also confirmed that 32,012 expatriates, comprising 29,995 men and 2,017 women, are currently undergoing legal proceedings related to their immigration status.

Severe penalties for those who aid illegal residents

Twenty-five people were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal residence by transporting, sheltering or employing undocumented individuals.

The ministry issued a firm warning that anyone convicted of assisting illegal entry or residence faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years, a financial penalty of as much as SR1 million, and the confiscation of any vehicles or property used in connection with the offence.

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Members of the public were encouraged to report suspected violations through the Kingdom's designated emergency reporting lines.

Canada deports over 3,000 Indian nationals

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that Canada deported 3,323 Indian nationals in the first six months of 2026.

This accounts for nearly 88% of the 3,779 Indian nationals removed throughout the entirety of 2025, according to a CNN News18 report shared on Instagram on August 9, 2026.

Source: YEN.com.gh