1,179 children held in immigration depots as of Jan 29 - minister

PARLIAMENT | A total of 1,179 children of undocumented migrants were held in immigration depots nationwide as of Jan 29, said Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

This is among a total of 15,845 undocumented migrants detained.

“This consists of 11,983 men, 2,683 women, 656 boys, and 523 girls,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.

Saifuddin (Harapan-Kulim) was responding to a question by Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi (PN-Kuala Kedah) who asked about steps taken by the ministry to prevent the overstaying of foreigners.

The home minister announced on Feb 15 that children in immigration depots will soon be put under the care of NGOs specialising in child welfare.

The minister denied that the decision was related to a migrant settlement raid in Negeri Sembilan on Feb 1, as he had been in talks with NGOs earlier.

The raid resulted in 67 undocumented migrants being detained, including children as young as two months old and other school-aged children who were being prepared for integration with the Indonesian national school system once they returned home permanently.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said 32.4 percent (5,138) of detainees were citizens of the Philippines, followed by 27.9 percent (4,424) Myanmar nationals, and 25.9 percent (4,097) Indonesians.

He said between Jan 1 and Feb 8, a total of 3,129 undocumented migrants and 34 employers have been nabbed by the Immigration Department.

The Immigration Department arrested 22,804 undocumented migrants and 371 employers last year.

Suhakam hopes no more children will be placed in immigration depots

Indonesian rights body condemns migrant workers raid in Nilai Spring

Suhakam calls for counselling support for migrant children

Taught in transit: Immigration raid reveals 'school' for migrant children