Hong Kong’s Immigration Department (ImmD) carried out a repatriation operation on Tuesday, sending 19 Vietnamese illegal immigrants and overstayers back to their home country.
The group consisted of 11 men and 8 women, all of whom had failed to substantiate their non-refoulement claims, which are requests for protection from deportation. Some had previously been imprisoned in Hong Kong for criminal offenses.
“The ImmD has been committed to promptly removing unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants from Hong Kong to maintain effective immigration control and safeguard the public interest,” the department said in a statement.
Under an updated removal policy that took effect in December 2022, the ImmD can generally proceed with deporting claimants whose requests for judicial review have been dismissed by the Court of First Instance. Officials say this has enhanced the efficiency of removing unsubstantiated claims.
The department vowed to continue expediting the repatriation of illegal immigrants and overstayers from Hong Kong “as soon as practicable” through appropriate measures.
The mass deportation comes amid ongoing efforts by Hong Kong authorities to address the issue of illegal immigration, which they say poses risks to public safety and strains social services. Critics, however, argue the crackdown undermines protections for vulnerable asylum seekers.
