Saudi Arabia Deports 14,855 Residents Following Nationwide Security Crackdown

Saudi Arabian authorities deported 14,855 individuals and arrested more than 21,200 people during a week-long nationwide crackdown on residency, labor, and border security regulations. The operations, conducted between February 15 and February 21, 2024, targeted violators across all regions of the Kingdom as part of ongoing efforts to regulate the domestic labor market and secure national borders. Arrests and Violation Breakdown Official data released by the Ministry of Interior confirms that among the 21,293 individuals detained, 11,304 were arrested for violating residency laws. An additional 6,865 individuals were apprehended for breaches of border security regulations, while 3,124 were detained for labor law violations. The Ministry reported that 1,027 people were intercepted while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally, 57% of whom were Ethiopian nationals and 40% Yemeni nationals. The enforcement campaign also targeted those facilitating illegal entries. Authorities arrested 13 individuals involved in transporting, sheltering, or providing employment to violators. Under Saudi law, individuals found guilty of aiding illegal residents face up to 15 years in…