Saudi Arabia to deport 8,000 arrested expatriates

Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 18,600 individuals for violating residency, labour, and border security laws during a week-long crackdown across the Kingdom, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday.

The nationwide campaign comes as the country intensifies efforts to regulate its borders and labour force ahead of the 2025 Hajj season.

Between April 3 and April 9, joint security operations involving multiple government agencies resulted in the apprehension of 18,669 individuals.

According to the ministry, those detained included 11,813 violators of the Residency Law, 4,366 violators of the Border Security Law, and 2,490 violators of the Labour Law. Among the total arrests, 1,497 people were caught attempting to cross the border into Saudi Arabia illegally.

The ministry reported that 69 percent of those individuals were Ethiopian nationals, 27 percent were Yemenis, and the remaining four percent were from other countries. Authorities also detained 59 people trying to leave the Kingdom unlawfully.

The campaign, part of ongoing efforts to enforce immigration and labour regulations, has also led to the referral of 25,754 individuals to their respective diplomatic missions for travel documentation. An additional 2,279 violators were processed for travel arrangements, while 8,126 were deported.

Seventeen individuals were arrested for allegedly facilitating illegal residency through transportation, shelter, or employment.