President says current administration deported over 12,000 undocumented migrants, far exceeding previous governments

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on Thursday that while the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih deported 2,600 undocumented foreigners in two and a half years, the current government has deported more than 12,000 within the same period.

Speaking on PSM’s Nation Chat, the President said no previous government had done enough to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants.

He said the work carried out during the past two and a half years to address the problem has been significant.

The President then shared several statistics.

He said that during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen, when he himself served as housing minister, no data was collected on foreigners brought into the country. The subsequent Solih administration collected data on 27,200 foreigners.

2018ގެ ނޮވެންބަރުން 2021ގެ މޭ މަހުގެ ނިޔަލަށް ޑިޕޯޓް ކޮށްފައި ވަނީ 2600 މީހުން، މި ސަރުކާރުގެ 2 އަހަރާއި ބައިގެ ތެރޭގައި 12،193 މީހުން ވަނީ ޑިޕޯޓް ކޮށްފައި: ރައީސް@presidencymv pic.twitter.com/9MtBXqd9dN

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“In the two and a half years of this government, we have taken biometrics of another 206,400 people,” he said.

To his knowledge, he added, only the United Arab Emirates and Singapore have achieved a similar level of data collection, reaching 99 percent of foreign workers.

Comparing the first two and a half years of the previous two governments with the same period under his administration, the President said Yameen’s government did not deport any foreigners during that timeframe, while Solih’s government deported 2,600 undocumented migrants.

He said the current government has deported 12,193 people during its first two and a half years.

Nugavaidhun ulhey bidheyseen hoadhai, emeehunge mauloomaathu negumah miadhu Immigration aai, Police in kuriah gendhiya Kurangi Operation Phase 3 ge therein — Sun Photo/ Shathiu Abdullah

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Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan said on May 9 that around 2,800 foreigners remain unaccounted for in atoll areas and will be repatriated within the next six months.

The third phase of Operation Kurangi, the nationwide effort led by the Homeland Security Ministry to identify and collect information on undocumented workers, was conducted in the Male' area on the same day.

Ihusaan told reporters that only 27 percent of the nearly 296,000 active work‑permit holders had their fingerprints recorded when the current administration took office, due to what he described as the failure of previous governments to address the issue effectively. He said that figure has now reached 98 percent.

The President has previously stated that efforts will continue to locate and deport the remaining undocumented foreigners within the next six months as part of a permanent solution to the issue.