Maldives Immigration Department on Tuesday detained over 20 undocumented expatriate workers in two separate operations in the capital Male’.
Immigration had raided the Heenaamaage Parking area in Male’, a notorious hangout spot for undocumented immigrants, detaining 17.
In a separate raid on expatriate accommodation blocks, Immigration had also detained four undocumented expatriates from a house in Galolhu ward.
The administration aims to solve the long-standing issue of undocumented migrants effectively and has been working closely with enforcement agencies to resolve the challenge. To support these efforts, a designated task force has been established, comprising members from enforcement agencies and various government ministries.
In July last year, a designated portal, the ‘Immigration Watch’ was introduced, enabling citizens to report suspected undocumented migrants in the Maldives and other immigration-related violations. With these tools, efforts commenced to inspect workplaces to identify and detain those found to be in violation of immigration laws.
For 2024, the government set a target to identify and deport 5,000 undocumented migrants and those working in the Maldives in violation of laws. This goal was surpassed, with official statistics confirming that a total of 5,613 migrants were deported last year, primarily as a result of immigration raids and detentions.
In addition to deporting undocumented migrants, the government is also offering pathways for undocumented individuals to regularise their status. Efforts are also underway to collect biometric data on foreign nationals in the Maldives, as part of a broader strategy to tackle illegal migration systemically.