Immigration Halts 8,287 Departures of At-Risk Indonesians Throughout 2026

The Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections halted 8,287 departures of Indonesian citizens (WNI) indicated to be at risk of the criminal act of human trafficking (TPPO) from January to July 2026. This figure represents a decrease of approximately 12.36 per cent compared to the same period in 2025, which recorded 9,456 cases. During this period, Immigration also rejected 9,394 passport applications suspected of potential misuse. At the Batam Immigration Office, which handles one of the strategic crossings in the Malacca Strait region, 17 passport applications were specifically rejected during the first half of 2026. The latest Immigration TPPO data was released following the Anti-Human Trafficking Day commemorated every 30 July. “This serves as a reminder to all of us that protecting citizens is a shared responsibility. Immigration is committed to strengthening upstream prevention through risk-based supervision, public education, and cross-sector synergy, so that no more Indonesian citizens become victims of human trafficking,” said Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, via a press release on Tuesday (4/8). Data from the Directorate General of Immigration shows a significant decline in indications of non-procedural Indonesian Migrant Worker (PMI NP) departures throughout 2025, with passport application rejections dropping 63.97 per cent from 2,470 cases in 2024 to 890 cases in 2025, and departure postponements decreasing 67.85 per cent from 20,291 to 6,524 individuals. Hendarsam viewed the decline as reflecting the resolution of past TPPO cases, alongside stronger early detection systems, supervision, and cross-sector collaboration in protecting citizens from the risk of exploitation abroad. “The Directorate General of Immigration carries out layered prevention, from the passport issuance process to departure checks at the Immigration Checkpoint (TPI), implemented based on the Immigration Law,” he said. TPPO prevention begins at the passport application stage, where officers conduct document checks, interviews, and profiling to ensure the travel purpose matches the supporting documents. If indications of misuse for non-procedural work or potential TPPO are found, the application can be postponed or rejected for further investigation. Hendarsam stressed that these steps are not intended to complicate matters for the public, but rather as a form of state protection for its citizens. “The aim is not to make it difficult for passport applicants, but to ensure travel documents are not exploited by human trafficking syndicates and to ensure people depart through safe and proper channels,” he said. As a community-based preventive measure, the Directorate General of Immigration has established 1,178 Immigration-Assisted Villages and assigned 516 Immigration Village Development Officers (PIMPASA). Hendarsam explained that the programme aims to raise public awareness about the dangers of TPPO, provide education on official procedures for working abroad, and strengthen early detection at the village level. Beyond supervision in the passport issuance process and educational programmes, TPPO prevention is also applied at entry and exit points across Indonesia. “If individuals indicated as TPPO victims return to Indonesia, the Immigration system will enter their data into the Subject of Interest (SOI) list,” Hendarsam revealed. “Consequently, if they attempt to travel abroad again, these subjects can receive special attention from officers at immigration checkpoints,” he continued. Currently, the Directorate General of Immigration is also focusing enforcement efforts on agents or intermediaries who facilitate non-procedural departures and are potentially involved in TPPO networks. These efforts are carried out through intensive coordination with law enforcement officials and relevant ministries and agencies to identify recruitment patterns, departure routes, and actors involved in these illegal practices.