Moscow to expel 1,400 migrants amid crackdown on illegal residency

Moscow police have announced plans to expel approximately 1,400 foreign nationals found to be residing illegally in Russia, with over 450 already deported, the city’s Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.

“As a result, decisions have been made to expel about 1,400 foreign nationals, and more than 450 of the specified individuals have already been deported,” Interfax reports, citing the statement from the Directorate.

Since the beginning of the year, police in Moscow have identified over 240 individuals wanted for various crimes, including serious offences, 430 suffering from dangerous diseases, and 100 who entered Russia using forged documents.

In addition, during this period, decisions were made to revoke Russian citizenship from 32 individuals.

“Of these cases, 20 are related to particularly serious crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, sexual offences against minors, illegal trafficking of narcotic and psychotropic substances, or causing harm to national security,” the department noted.

“In the area of administrative law enforcement, over 58,000 migration-related violations have been identified. The majority (15,000 cases) involve foreign nationals or stateless persons violating entry rules or residence regulations in Russia. Violations related to employing foreign nationals or stateless persons exceeded 5,000 cases,” the Moscow Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

Police also identified 3,700 cases of fictitious registration of foreigners using forged documents.

During the reporting period, more than 2,400 criminal cases concerning illegal legalisation of foreigners were sent to court, along with 170 cases on organising illegal migration, 29 cases under Article 322.2 of the Criminal Code (fictitious registration of a citizen at a place of stay or residence), and 2,200 cases under Article 322.3 (fictitious registration of a foreign national or stateless person at a place of stay).

According to the police, 570 participants in the state resettlement program for compatriots received repatriate status, and about 3,000 citizens obtained temporary residence permits, of which over 2,000 were related to studies at Moscow universities.

“Additionally, 344 foreign nationals who share traditional spiritual and moral values and have left countries actively promoting a radical neoliberal agenda were granted simplified Russian citizenship in accordance with the presidential decree,” the department concluded.

By Vugar Khalilov