18,000 violators of residency and labor laws were apprehended in Saudi Arabia within a week
The Saudi Ministry of Interior announced the results of the joint field campaigns carried out by various security sectors in all regions of the Kingdom, during the period from January 1 to 7, 2026. These intensive security efforts resulted in the arrest of (18,836) violators of residency, labor and border security regulations, reflecting the continuous security vigilance and ongoing efforts to enhance compliance with local regulations.
Details of seizures and field campaigns
Official data indicated that the field campaigns targeted monitoring violations in various regions, with the total number of violators apprehended distributed as follows:
- Violators of the residency system: Their number reached (11710) violators, and they constitute the largest percentage of the total number of those arrested.
- Border security system violators: (4239) violators were apprehended for attempting to cross border laws.
- Violators of the labor system: Their number reached (2887) violators.
These campaigns come within the context of the ongoing efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to regulate the labor market and ensure security, as the “A Nation Without Violators” campaigns are a pivotal part of the Ministry of Interior’s strategy to eliminate negative phenomena related to violating regulations, which contributes to protecting the national economy and reducing the security and social risks resulting from the presence of irregular workers or infiltrators across the borders.
Border security and infiltration attempts
Regarding border security, the Ministry revealed precise figures reflecting the scale of the challenges and the efforts undertaken. (1741) individuals were apprehended while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally. The nationalities of the infiltrators varied, with Yemenis constituting (39%), Ethiopians (60%), and other nationalities comprising only 1%. Conversely, (46) individuals were apprehended while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.
The campaigns also did not neglect to pursue those who help these violators, as (19) people were arrested for involvement in crimes of transporting, sheltering, employing violators, or covering them up, which confirms the comprehensiveness of the security campaigns for all parties involved in the violation.
Legal procedures and deportation
A large number of violators are currently undergoing enforcement procedures, with a total of 29,823 undocumented migrants being dealt with, including 28,220 men and 1,603 women. Firm decisions have been taken against them, including:
- (20956) violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents.
- (5201) violators were referred to complete their travel arrangements.
- (10195) actual violators were deported to their countries.
Stern warnings and severe penalties
The Ministry of Interior has reiterated its strong warnings to anyone contemplating assisting violators of border security regulations, whether by facilitating their entry, transporting them, sheltering them, or providing any other form of assistance. The Ministry emphasized that these actions constitute serious crimes warranting arrest and are considered breaches of honor and integrity, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to one million riyals, confiscation of the vehicle and accommodation used for sheltering the perpetrator, and public shaming of the offender.
The ministry called on everyone to cooperate and report any violations by calling (911) in the Makkah, Riyadh and Eastern regions, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions, stressing that the security of the homeland is a shared responsibility.
