Immigration Deports Over 4,000 Workers in Ongoing Crackdown

Immigration Controller Shamman Waheed has announced that 4,361 individuals have been deported this year as part of the department’s goal to remove 5,000 illegal expatriate workers by the end of 2024.

Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office, he highlighted the progress made in the government’s deportation efforts. “As of October 21, we have deported 4,361 foreigners, moving towards our target of 5,000 illegal immigrants for the year,” he said.

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The deportations involve individuals who either voluntarily left the Maldives after being placed in immigration custody or those who were formally issued notices to leave the country.

At present, 135 foreign nationals remain in detention under the immigration department’s custody, including 121 men and 12 women. The department continues to carry out special operations to identify and deport illegal workers, aided by a newly introduced portal that allows the public to report suspected cases of illegal immigration. So far, 861 cases have been reported through the Immigration Watch portal, with 596 of them already addressed.

Shamman also revealed that 51 individuals have been detained this year for attempting to illegally cross the border. “There is a noticeable trend of people trying to enter the Maldives using counterfeit or forged passports, leading to the detention of 51 individuals at the border this year,” he stated.

The government’s crackdown on illegal immigration is set to continue, with authorities aiming to meet their year-end deportation target.