Mass raids against migrants in Moscow

On the morning of September 18, Russian law enforcement conducted a large-scale inspection at a migrant dormitory in Moscow, near the Strogin metro station, located at Marshal Proshlyakov Street, 24.

According to media reports, about 500 people were checked, among them citizens of Tajikistan.

According to migrants, the raid began at 5 AM, with people being roughly taken outside and their documents checked. Russian officials first checked the women, and some who had issues with their documents were taken away.

It is reported that about 200 citizens of Tajikistan live in the dormitory, most of whom work for a construction company and have the necessary permits.

Similar raids are taking place in other regions of Russia, especially in places where migrants often gather, including cafes, markets, and dormitories.

In addition to checking documents for legal residency, Russian authorities are also looking for those who have obtained Russian citizenship but have not registered for military service at the enlistment office. Such individuals are immediately sent to enlistment offices and then to the war in Ukraine. Those who refuse to serve in the army or go to war are stripped of their citizenship and deported from Russia.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law stating that from January 1 to September 10, 2025, migrants must legalize their stay in Russia.

On September 10, the period of the presidential decree by Vladimir Putin extending the stay of foreigners illegally in the country ended. The previous decree, signed by Putin in December 2024, required migrants to regularize their legal status by April 30, but it was extended two days before the deadline.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that starting September 11, measures to restrict the rights of foreign citizens who have not legalized their stay in Russia will be implemented, including a ban on future entry into Russia. Information about violators will be included in the registry of controlled persons. Being in this registry entails significant restrictions on actions within Russia.

Previously, the authorities of Tajikistan published the names of individuals who ended up in the registry of controlled persons. Thus, more than 120,000 citizens of Tajikistan, whose documents have expired or been revoked, as well as those who have committed administrative offenses, found themselves in the registry. It is still unknown whether they were able to legalize their stay in Russia.