Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi authorities have arrested about 2.1 million foreigners who were living in the country in violation of the Kingdom’s residency and labor regulations in a nationwide crackdown that began in November 2017.

Officials said as many as 541,087 people were deported from the country.

The campaign, titled the Nation Free of Illegal Expats, was launched late last year with the participation of 19 government and private sector agencies, including the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Passport Department.

According to the officials, more than 1.6 million illegal expatriates were arrested for violating the system of residency, 323,435 for violating the labor regulations and 150,418 for breaching border security.

They said 35,478 people were apprehended while attempting to sneak into the Kingdom through its southern border. About 52 percent of the infiltrators were Yemenis, 45 percent Ethiopians and the rest various other nationalities.

As many as 1,673 foreign residents were caught while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

The officials said 2,985 people were charged with sheltering, or providing transport to, the illegal residents. They included 848 Saudi nationals, of whom 820 were investigated, punished and released while 28 others were still being questioned.

The campaign officials said 13,536 violators were currently being kept in various deportation centers. They consist of 11,620 men and 1,916 women.

The officials said 301,443 violators were referred to their respective embassies and consulates to issue them travel documents while 366,851 were completing formalities for deportation.