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Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has reported deporting 14905 individuals as authorities pressed ahead with a nationwide crackdown on violations of residency labour and border security regulations. Joint inspection campaigns from August 20 to August 26 resulted in the arrest of 14434 violators across all regions of the kingdom according to the ministry. The latest figures highlight the scale of ongoing enforcement operations that have been conducted on a weekly basis throughout 2026.
The ministry’s figures showed 6976 of those arrested had breached residency rules while 4110 faced charges related to border security and 3348 were held for labour law violations. These coordinated actions involved security forces and multiple government agencies working together to identify offenders. Similar campaigns earlier in the year produced comparable arrest totals the ministry has stated in prior releases.
Authorities detained 1450 people attempting to enter the kingdom illegally during the reporting period the interior ministry reported. Ministry data indicated that 58 percent of these entrants were Ethiopian nationals 41 percent were Yemeni and the remaining 1 percent came from other countries. Another 44 individuals were arrested while trying to leave the country unlawfully and 27 people were held for transporting sheltering or employing violators.
A total of 29938 expatriates including 27957 men and 1981 women remain subject to legal procedures the ministry said. Of this group 18914 have been referred to their diplomatic missions to secure travel documents and 2867 others must complete travel arrangements before departure. The 14905 deportations form part of the actions taken after the inspections concluded.
Facilitating illegal entry transportation shelter or employment of violators carries stiff penalties the ministry warned. Offenders face up to 15 years in prison fines as high as one million Saudi riyals and confiscation of any vehicles or property used in the activity. The statement encouraged residents to report suspected violations using the toll-free numbers 911 in Makkah and Riyadh or 999 and 996 elsewhere in the kingdom.
The latest enforcement drive continues a pattern of sustained operations that the Ministry of Interior has detailed in releases issued throughout the year. Previous weekly campaigns in June July and August produced deportation numbers frequently surpassing 11000 the ministry has reported on multiple occasions. These efforts form part of broader measures to uphold immigration labour and border laws across the kingdom.
