The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs summed up the results of the operation “Illegal-2024”: tens of thousands of migrants are at risk of deportation
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs summed up the results of the operation “Illegal-2024”, within the framework of which since the beginning of the year about 20 thousand decisions on deportation have been made and over 4 thousand criminal cases related to the organization of illegal migration have been initiated. According to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev, the department’s employees have identified more than 106 thousand violations of migration legislation. As the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Irina Volk specified, 684 criminal cases have been initiated, concerning, among other things, illegal border crossing, arms trafficking, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has also stepped up its work to identify fictitious marriages among foreigners, which are concluded to obtain a residence permit or temporary residence. Materials were sent to the prosecutor’s office to have such marriages declared invalid by the court, which led to the cancellation of 240 temporary residence permits and 107 residence permits in 2023.
In October of this year, the State Duma approved a new law that strengthens control over marriages of migrants with Russian citizens, increasing the mandatory period of residence in marriage to three years to obtain temporary residence outside the quota. This law is aimed at combating fictitious marriages and other illegal ways of obtaining citizenship.
Recall that after the incident in Crocus City Hall, when a terrorist attack occurred, the Russian authorities tightened the rules for the stay of migrants. In addition, from 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will have the right to independently deport foreigners, which is part of a new package of measures to strengthen migration control and prevent security threats.
