Malaysia detains more than 57,000 undocumented migrants and 1,600 employers in nine months
The Immigration Department reported detaining 57,161 undocumented migrants and 1,685 local employers between Jan 1 and Sept 13.
From the start of the year through mid-September, immigration officials carried out 9,559 operations and inspected 128,536 people. Those actions resulted in the detention of 57,161 migrants without legal status and 1,685 employers who hired them. In the last five days of the reporting period, 175 further operations checked 1,340 individuals, leading to 880 foreign nationals and 36 Malaysians being held for immigration violations.
Why it matters
The large-scale detentions highlight Malaysia's aggressive stance on illegal immigration and its impact on the labor market.
In this story
immigration enforcementundocumented migrantsdetentionemployersMalaysiaimmigration offencesoperationssecurity
