Campaign To Arrest 120,000 Illegal Expats Postponed

Authorities planned to launch an extensive security campaigns to arrest more than 120,000 expatriates, who are in violation of the residency law as a step to fix the demographic imbalance by deporting illegals. The campaign has been postponed owned to overcrowding in the Central Prison and Deportation Center, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting an informed security source from the Residency Affairs General Department in the Interior Ministry.

Taking into account the difficulties faced by expatriates during the coronavirus crisis, the  Government offered an amnesty period for illegals to leave the country in April without paying fines. Those expats turned themselves in, and thus are awaiting deportation at the Deportation Center, which is overcrowded as flights were unable to be made available for the departure procedures.  There are also a large number of detainees in police stations.

The concerned agencies in the ministry have delayed the date for the campaign pending the final procedures for the deportation of expatriates who were released from prison and those detained in police stations, that will begin once commercial flights resume. After which an intensive campaign will be launched to arrest more than 120,000 expatriates who are staying illegally in Kuwait.  The daily said, quoting sources, that the campaign will likely start before the end of this year.

It is remains unclear if the ministry will provide another opportunity for violators to rectify their status or not, and this decision is under the approval of the Interior Minister who will take measures deemed appropriate for the country.

According to a Kuwaiti official, 92,000 expats left Kuwait between April to June, including illegal expats. Foreigners account for nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait’s 4.8 million population.

 

SOURCE LINK

Comments Post Comment

Leave a Comment

Submit