Detentions and deportations of migrants from Russia continue

The Russian police reported the expulsion of 121 foreign nationals as a result of mass raids in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

As reported by the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia on November 6, mass raids and inspections were conducted as part of the operation “Illegal-2026,” which lasted for 10 days.

The police checked construction and production sites, as well as agricultural enterprises, resulting in 171 foreigners from neighboring countries being taken to the police station. Of these, 7 individuals were placed in temporary detention centers for foreign nationals.

127 protocols were drawn up against them for violating the terms of their stay, 24 administrative cases for illegal labor activities, 12 for providing false information during migration registration, and 7 for evading the execution of a designated punishment. According to the police, a total of 121 illegal migrants will be expelled from Russia.

Additionally, administrative proceedings have been initiated against one organization and three individuals for illegally employing migrants, the statement said. Three other individuals are accused of organizing illegal migration and fictitious registration of foreign nationals.

The statement does not specify how these accusations were commented on by the migrants themselves or their lawyers.

Details regarding the decisions on expulsion and the conditions for foreign nationals’ access to legal assistance are also unknown. The statement does not clarify whether any of them were citizens of Tajikistan.

Mass raids against migrants in Russia are taking place amid increasing pressure on citizens from Central Asian countries.

Earlier, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch reported in a March 2025 report about raids and inspections based on appearance and national affiliation, arbitrary detentions, and mistreatment of labor migrants, particularly citizens of Tajikistan.

The organization called on the Russian authorities to ensure the protection of labor migrants’ rights and to prevent xenophobia. However, despite these calls, the Russian authorities are enacting numerous laws to tighten migration policy, complicating the lives and residency of foreign nationals and labor migrants in the country.