Malaysia flags 224 migrant hotspots and launches intensified raids
The Immigration Department has identified 224 locations across Malaysia linked to undocumented migrants and has conducted thousands of raids, detaining over 50,000 foreigners for immigration offences.
Malaysia’s Immigration Department has catalogued 224 nationwide hotspots associated with undocumented migrants, ranging from illegal settlements and crowded rental units to construction workers' quarters and foreign-dominated commercial premises. Datuk Zakaria Shaaban reported that between 2023 and 15 June, the department executed 16,431 Op Sapu raids on such locations, resulting in the detention of more than 50,000 foreigners for violations of the Immigration Act.
He emphasized that hotspot status is fluid, determined by ongoing intelligence, public reports and enforcement findings. The department plans to maintain targeted, intelligence-driven operations and to cooperate with local authorities, while also holding employers and property owners accountable for harboring undocumented migrants.
Why it matters
The crackdown targets illegal migrant settlements and aims to enforce immigration laws and hold employers accountable.
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