Iraq’s Karbala detains 5+ people in illegal labor sweep
Shafaq News – Karbala
Security forces in Karbala, south-central Iraq, arrested nine Arab and foreign nationals on Friday for violating the country’s residency regulations, according to the province’s Police Command.
In a statement, the command said that patrols detained the individuals during field inspections targeting foreign labor movement across the province, confirming each had breached legal residency terms.
Authorities transferred the detainees to the Residency Affairs Directorate’s Deportation Division to complete legal procedures.
Similar operations are ongoing across Iraq as authorities intensify efforts to identify residency violations.
Iraq’s Foreigners’ Residence Law No. 118 of 1978 requires foreign nationals to hold valid passports and entry permits, with violations subject to deportation or imprisonment.
The arrests come amid a growing influx of undocumented laborers. The Strategic Center for Human Rights estimates that roughly one million foreign workers are employed illegally nationwide, increasing pressure on Iraq’s already strained job market.
Read more: Foreign workers flood Iraq: A threat tolocal jobs
