20,000 violators of residency and labor laws were apprehended in Saudi Arabia

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance security and regulate the labor market, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced the results of its joint field campaigns targeting violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations across the Kingdom. These campaigns are part of a comprehensive security strategy aimed at eliminating the phenomenon of illegal residents and rectifying their legal status.

Context of security campaigns and their importance

These field campaigns are of paramount importance in the context of maintaining the national and economic security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since the launch of the "A Nation Without Violators" campaign, security authorities have been working to reduce the number of violators who may burden public services or pose a threat to security and stability. These efforts also contribute to regulating the labor market, providing fair opportunities for citizens and legal residents, and enhancing the attractiveness of the Kingdom's investment environment by enforcing the rule of law.

Details of seizures and official figures

Intensive field campaigns conducted by security authorities between January 29 and February 4, 2026, resulted in the apprehension of 20,237 violators across various regions of the Kingdom. The violations detected included a variety of offenses

• Violators of the residency system: Their number reached (12,687) violators, and they constitute the largest percentage of the total number of those arrested.
• Violators of the border security system: (4,318) violators were apprehended.
• Violators of the labor system: Their number reached (3,232) violators.

Border security and infiltration attempts

Regarding border security, reports indicate that security forces apprehended 1,555 individuals attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally. The nationalities of those apprehended were distributed as follows: 57% Ethiopian, 40% Yemeni, and 3% of other nationalities. Additionally, 61 individuals were apprehended attempting to cross the border out of the Kingdom illegally, and 32 individuals were arrested for their involvement in transporting, harboring, employing, and concealing illegal migrants.

Regulatory procedures and deterrent penalties

A large number of violators are currently undergoing procedures to enforce the regulations. The total number of those subject to these procedures is 23,807, including 21,926 men and 1,881 women. Of these, 16,805 violators have been referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 2,437 to finalize their travel arrangements, and 11,656 have been deported to their home countries.

Stern warnings from the Ministry of Interior

The Ministry of Interior has reiterated its strong warnings to anyone who facilitates the entry of violators of the Kingdom's border security regulations, transports them within the Kingdom, provides them with shelter, or offers them any assistance or service whatsoever. The Ministry emphasized that these actions constitute serious crimes warranting arrest and violating honor and integrity, with penalties reaching up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to one million riyals, confiscation of the vehicle and accommodation used for sheltering the violators, and public shaming.

The ministry called on everyone to cooperate and report any violations by calling (911) in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom.