Saudi Arabia’s joint field security campaigns arrested 15,591 violators of residency, labor and border security regulations across the Kingdom during the week from June 25 to July 1, 2026, according to the Ministry of Interior.
The ministry said those arrested included 7,759 violators of the Residency Law, 4,488 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,344 violators of the Labor Law.
Security authorities also apprehended 1,629 people attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally. Of those arrested, 53 percent were Ethiopian nationals, 46 percent were Yemeni nationals, and 1 percent belonged to other nationalities.
In addition, authorities arrested 58 people while attempting to leave Saudi Arabia through illegal border crossings.
The ministry also announced the arrest of 17 individuals involved in transporting, sheltering, employing, or otherwise assisting violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations.
Currently, 27,445 expatriate violators are undergoing legal procedures, including 25,412 men and 2,033 women.
During the reporting period:
- 16,912 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents.
- 4,174 violators were referred to complete travel reservations.
- 12,292 violators were deported from the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Interior reiterated that anyone who facilitates the illegal entry of border security violators, transports them, shelters them, or provides them with any assistance faces severe penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to SAR1 million, confiscation of vehicles and property used in the offense, and public naming of offenders.
The ministry added that these offenses are considered major crimes requiring arrest and affecting honor and integrity. It urged the public to report violations by calling 911 in the Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, or 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.
