Immigration bureau nabs 83 illegal aliens in first operation for 2026  

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has rounded up 83 foreign nationals during a raid on a retail center in Pasay City, the bureau’s first operation against illegal aliens in 2026.

Acting on a report, immigration agents raided the retail center in Baclaran last Wednesday and arrested 68 Bangladeshi nationals, 14 Chinese nationals and one Indian national.

“Initial records check showed that while some of the foreigners held valid visas, they were engaged in retail trade activities prohibited under Philippine law. There were 18 of them who merely held tourist visas, while six of them still had their identities for verification,” the BI said in a statement.

The foreign nationals face charges of misrepresentation, undocumented stay and violating the Retail Trade Liberalization Act. They were brought to the BI office for documentation as well as inquest and deportation proceedings.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reminded foreigners that a visa does not authorize them to work in the country.

“The President has been very clear in his directive—our immigration laws must be enforced firmly and without exception. Foreign nationals who abuse their stay and illegally compete with Filipino livelihoods will be dealt with accordingly,” Viado said.

Increase in arrests

According to official BI data, there was a significant increase in the arrest of foreign nationals in 2025, with the bureau recording 268 arrests of foreign fugitives between January and June alone—nearly a fourfold increase from the same period in 2024.

These arrests were part of a broader national security campaign under President Marcos, targeting individuals involved in crimes such as fraud, robbery, illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator operations and espionage.

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Last December, the authorities nabbed 17 foreigners and 83 Filipino employees in a raid on an illegal online gaming operation. They stumbled on the gambling operation while looking for a certain Chao who was wanted for estafa.

Earlier last year, five foreigners, believed to be Chinese, were arrested in Palawan, Manila and Dumaguete City for alleged intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations using military-grade equipment.

Seven Chinese and one Taiwanese nationals were also arrested in September for working without visas at a mining site in Isabela.