New emergency digit number to inform officials on illegals

New emergency digit number to inform officials on illegals
By Ahmed Abdul Aziz (Our staff reporter)KHALEEJ TIMES 1 April 2008

ABU DHABI — The Department of Following-up Illegals in the Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) will be soon setting up a new three-digit hot-line number to seek information from the public about the presence of illegals in the country.

Giving this information, Major Hilal Aida Al Mazrouei, Director of Department of Following-up Illegals, told Khaleej Times yesterday that the move is aimed at flushing out illegals staying in the country by receiving tip-offs from the public.

The number will be announced soon, he added.

"By setting up the three-digit hotline, we plan to enhance cooperation with the society wherein people could tip off officials about illegal workers or people who had 'absconded' from their sponsors," said Major Al Mazrouei.

He said the FNRD is now working to intensify inspections of companies, farms, buildings and labour accommodations in order to weed out illegals.

"Two teams of officers will be working in tandem. One will generate information and carry out investigations and the second will move to arrest the illegals," he said.

Regarding entering houses and farms, he said that the officers are not allowed to visit homes without the permission of the General Prosecution.

He, however, affirmed that companies can be inspected with the co-operation of the authorities concerned such as the Ministry of Labour and the Municipalities.

Many national and expatriate sponsors are wondering who will be held accountable in the case of detection of illegal workers or infiltrators.

"All sides are responsible and would be accountable under the law as we have recently arrested more than 40 housemaids who were illegally working and living in the same building. The building owner will appear before the General Prosecution Department for questioning," said Major Al Mazrouei.

"Furthermore, if no absconding report has been filed, the maids agency and the sponsor will be held accountable under the law and would face a fine of Dh50,000 in the case of hiring or sheltering an illegal and Dh100,000 for hiring or sheltering an infiltrator," he added.

As for illegals and infiltrators themselves, they will face a month in jail, subjected to eye-scan and deported with a ban on entry into the UAE.