The Saudi Cabinet on Monday defended its ongoing campaign to drive out undocumented foreign workers from the country, saying it is being carried out after giving them enough time to legalize status.

“We will continue with this campaign against violators of residency and labor rules with determination,” said the Cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense. It said measures have been taken to protect the rights of expats and give them fair treatment in accordance with bilateral and international agreements.

The Cabinet denounced the anti-Saudi smear campaign by certain foreign quarters following the crackdown against illegal expats at the end of the seven-month amnesty.

Saudis and expatriates alike have emphasized the Kingdom’s right to initiate measures to ensure its security and stability.

“Such measures are taken by countries all over the world,” Ibrahim Badawood, managing director of ALJ Community Initiatives, told Arab News.

“We cannot keep millions of illegal expats in the country. What we are doing now is a correction process. It is not against any particular group or nationality. It targets only the violators,” he said.

He said the problem was created by the black-marketing of job visas that prevailed in the country for the past several years and people have been misusing it. “Thousands of foreigners came to the Kingdom without any certificates or experience, making use of this black-market,” he said.

The presence of millions of illegal expats is a threat to the Kingdom’s security, he said while referring to the riots and problems created by Ethiopians and some other undocumented foreign workers.

Badawood, however, emphasized the need to treat all illegal workers humanely until they leave the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has been providing them with shelter and food and paying for their tickets to travel to their respective countries.