74% of foreigners arrested in 2018 from China — BI

Seventy-four percent of 533 foreigners arrested last year were Chinese nationals, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In a statement released yesterday, the BI also said 611 foreign nationals found to have violated the country’s immigration laws were deported.

BI acting intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said of the 533 foreigners, 393 were Chinese, 52 Koreans, 12 Americans and several were Africans.

A majority of these aliens were found to be overstaying and illegal vendors, construction workers, miners, and even in blue-collar jobs.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said several were caught working without permits or engaging in gainful activity without proper visas.

“I am proud to say that due to our intensified campaign against illegal aliens, the number of arrests we made last year was 326 percent higher than in 2017,” Morente said.

He said the 533 arrested aliens do not include the more than 200 foreign fugitives apprehended by the bureau.

“These 533 aliens pertain only to those who were arrested in operations conducted by our Intelligence Division which is separate from our Fugitive Search Unit. Combined, our arrests are close to 800,” he added.

As for the 611 aliens who were deported, the BI chief said they fast-track the resolution of pending deportation cases in order to decongest the detention facility.