Malaysia repatriates over 242,000 undocumented migrants

Malaysia has repatriated a total of 242,093 undocumented migrants from 112 countries under the Migrant Repatriation Programme between May 19, 2025, and June this year.

Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said they accounted for the vast majority of the 264,961 foreigners who registered for the voluntary return initiative.

He also said the Immigration Department had adopted a holistic approach to address the current situation involving refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented foreigners in the country.

The approach, he said, includes intensified enforcement operations, compliance monitoring, implementation of the repatriation programme and strategic collaboration with various enforcement agencies.

"From Jan 1 to June 15 this year, the Immigration Department carried out 5,430 enforcement operations nationwide, involving the inspection of 76,681 individuals," he said in his winding-up speech on the debate on the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements.

He said the operations led to the arrest of 18,687 undocumented migrants for various offences under the Immigration Act.

Addressing public concern over areas with a high concentration of undocumented foreigners, Shamsul said the ministry had implemented continuous mitigation measures.

The department, he said, had intensified enforcement activities at high-risk locations, conducting 2,528 inspections at premises employing foreign workers, educational institutions, business centres, wholesale markets and residential areas.

"This approach aims to detect and eradicate any violations of pass conditions, as well as the abuse of immigration facilities by both foreign nationals and employers," he said.

Shamsul also said 427 integrated operations were carried out with the police, the National Registration Department, local authorities and other relevant agencies during the same period to curb the presence of undocumented migrants.

To specifically address the illegal involvement of foreign nationals in business activities, a frequent public complaint, he said the department collaborates with local councils.