Russia intends to crack down on illegal migration

Russia will clamp down on illegal migration channels, Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov announced on Friday following the meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov.

"We will impose strict order of migration processes in Russia in accordance with the Law on Stay of Foreign Citizens," he said.

The Minister pointed out that today there are over a million foreign citizens in Russia who "have not registered legally". That is why courts rule to deport illegal immigrants from the country by administrative means.

Thus, according to RIA Novosti, on November 15 a Moscow Region court ruled to repatriate the first group of Tajik illegal immigrants (about 12 people) by a military plane.

Speaking of crimes committed by illegal immigrants on Russian territory, Boris Gryzlov said that over the ten months of the year 2002 Tajik illegal immigrants alone committed over 40,000 administrative offences.