Saudi authorities have arrested over 20,000 individuals for violating residency, labor, and border security regulations. The joint field campaigns aimed at monitoring and apprehending offenders were conducted nationwide from February 27 to March 5, 2025.
A total of 20,749 violators were detained during this period. Among them, 13,871 individuals were found violating residency laws, while 3,517 were apprehended for breaching border security regulations. Additionally, 3,361 people were arrested for violating labor laws.
Notably, authorities also detained 1,051 people attempting to cross into Saudi Arabia illegally. The majority of these individuals—43%—were of Yemeni nationality, while 54% were from Ethiopia. The remaining 3% were from other countries. Furthermore, 90 people were arrested while attempting to leave Saudi Arabia unlawfully.
The campaigns targeted not only the violators but also individuals involved in assisting these offenses. Several people were arrested for transporting, sheltering, or employing those violating residency, labor, and border security regulations.
Currently, 40,173 violators are undergoing regulatory enforcement procedures. Of these, 35,862 are men.
