The Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, noted that his department had deported 1,503 foreigners from Indonesia during the first half of the year 2024.
Karim further elaborated that, in total, the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration had carried out immigration administrative actions (Tindakan Administratif Keimigrasian or TAK) on 2,041 foreign nationals (Warga Negara Asing or WNA) in the country. This number increased by 75.19 per cent compared to the first half of the year 2023.
The TAKs enforced on these foreigners took many forms, such as prohibiting entry into Indonesia (deterrence), entry restrictions, entry cancellations, fines, and even deportation. The most frequent sanction imposed throughout the first half of the year 2024 had been deportation, with a figure reaching 73.64 per cent of all TAKs.
According to Karim, the number of foreigners deported had increased by 135.21 per cent in comparison to the first half of the year 2023. At that time, the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration deported 639 people. The growing popularity of Indonesia among foreigners might contribute to this recent trend.
“There is a trend of increasing arrivals of foreigners to Indonesia in the first half of 2024. We must respond to this with greater vigilance regarding their activities,” remarked Karim in a statement to the press on Tuesday, the 9th of July.
Karim also divulged that thus far this year, the three Immigration offices that imposed the most administrative sanctions were the Bogor Immigration Office (136 sanctions), the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office (124 sanctions), and Batam (118 sanctions). Just recently, last June, the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration carried out the “Bali Becik Operation” and arrested 103 foreigners who were suspected of being part of a cyber-crime network.
“We are intensifying operations, both on a local and national scale. This is our effort to contribute to national security while providing a preventative measure so that immigration violations can be minimised,” concluded Karim.