Polish Police and Border Guard Conduct Nationwide Raids to Combat Illegal Migration
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Loading... - Martin Frank
- 25 Feb 2025
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Poland’s border guard has joined forces with the police in a series of nationwide raids targeting illegal immigration. As a result of these operations, nearly 400 proceedings have been initiated to deport foreigners who do not have the right to remain in Poland.
The crackdown follows a declaration by Poland’s interior minister and the mayor of Warsaw, announcing a “zero tolerance” approach to crimes committed by immigrants. This decision was prompted by media reports highlighting a perceived increase in “imported crime.”
The raids, conducted on February 13-14 but only announced this week, were part of a broader police initiative aimed at apprehending individuals wanted on arrest warrants. Over 26,000 police officers participated in checks at more than 32,000 locations across the country. The operation resulted in the detention of 1,474 individuals, including 204 foreigners. Consequently, police filed 166 requests with the border guard to expel these foreigners from Poland.
In a separate statement, the border guard reported that 1,000 officers took part in the raids, focusing on combating illegal migration. They conducted over 2,400 checks on the legality of foreigners' presence in Poland, leading to the initiation of proceedings against almost 400 individuals.
Among those whose documents were checked, the largest group was Ukrainians, numbering over 1,000, making them Poland’s largest immigrant demographic. The next largest groups included Georgians (264) and Colombians (204), with the latter's numbers increasing rapidly in recent years. Of the deportation proceedings launched, 180 cases involved Ukrainians, while Georgians and Colombians accounted for nearly 60 cases each. Most deportation cases were initiated due to the finding that the foreigners were not legally residing in Poland, although three cases were prompted by threats to state security or public safety.
“This action marks the beginning of regular activities by the uniformed services, with the primary goal of ensuring security in our country,” stated the police. “It also serves as a signal to those who wish to come to Poland to engage in criminal activities: they will be under the watchful eye of Polish authorities.”
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak praised the outcome of the raids, asserting on social media that the government will not permit foreign gangs to operate in Poland. Earlier this month, Siemoniak noted that 5% of all individuals suspected of committing crimes in Poland last year were foreigners, despite immigrants making up 8% of the country’s population.
Poland has seen an unprecedented wave of immigration in recent years, with the highest numbers in Europe. The country has issued more first residence permits to non-EU immigrants than any other EU member state, and asylum applications reached a new high in 2024.
Recent reports from Rzeczpospolita, a leading Polish newspaper, indicated that Georgian immigrants have been linked to a resurgence of violent organized crime reminiscent of the 1990s, during the post-communist transition.
In response to these challenges, Poland’s government approved a stringent new migration strategy aimed at “taking back control” of the country’s borders. This strategy includes proposals to suspend the right of individuals who have entered the country irregularly from claiming asylum.
