Ethiopians at risk as Saudi nabs undocumented migrants

ESAT News (May 24, 2017)

About 750,000 undocumented Ethiopians are at risk of forced deportation as the deadline for the Kingdom’s amnesty to undocumented immigrants approaches.

Only about 8,500 Ethiopians have so far returned home but hundreds of thousands remain in limbo in Saudi Arabia. Economic hardship and fear of political persecution kept these immigrants in Saudi Arabia who seem to choose to rather face the brutal penalties in the Kingdom than return to Ethiopia, where they face uncertainty and danger.

Saudi Gazette reported on Wednesday that authorities have drawn up plans for daily combing operations to nab illegal workers after the end of amnesty June 29, 2017.

“Security forces will intensify field inspections,” says Maj. Gen. Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, assistant director for security affairs in Public Security at the Ministry of Interior.

“A total of 224,637 illegal expatriates came forward to leave the Kingdom and 49,000 of them have already left for their home countries,” the Gazette report said quoting figures from the Ministry of Interior.