Saudi Arabia detains nearly 15,000 illegal workers and border violators in week‑long raids

Saudi authorities carried out joint field campaigns across the kingdom from 16 to 22 July 2026, arresting a total of 14,970 individuals for breaching residence, work and border‑security regulations. The breakdown includes 7,437 residence violations, 3,991 border‑security breaches and 3,542 work‑law infringements.

Of those intercepted while attempting illegal entry, 1,626 were stopped, with 37 % Yemeni, 62 % Ethiopian and 1 % other nationalities. An additional 33 people were caught trying to exit the kingdom irregularly, and 18 were accused of facilitating the transport, shelter or employment of violators.

Overall, 30,546 migrants are now subject to enforcement actions: 28,557 men and 1,989 women. The Ministry of Interior has referred 17,747 offenders to their diplomatic missions for travel documents, 6,113 to complete travel bookings and has deported 13,251. Facilitators face penalties of up to 15 years imprisonment, fines of up to 1 million riyals and confiscation of transport or housing used for the offences. The ministry urges the public to report violations via the 911 hotline in Mecca, Medina, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, or 999/996 elsewhere.