Immigration Ministry Educates Tangerang Islamic Boarding School Students on Preventing Human Trafficking and Smuggling

The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Kemenimipas) has educated students at the Tahfizh Darul Quran Islamic Boarding School in Tangerang, Banten, on the prevention of the criminal acts of human trafficking (TPPO) and people smuggling (TPPM). This educational activity is part of the Immigration-Assisted Village programme carried out by the Tangerang Special Class I Non-TPI Immigration Office on Thursday. Head of the Tangerang Special Class I Non-TPI Immigration Office, Hasanin, stated that his office is targeting a number of educational facilities such as Islamic boarding schools, senior high schools, and universities within the Immigration-Assisted Village programme, which focuses on preventing TPPO and TPPM. “We see that the Darul Quran Islamic Boarding School also has potential; the young people here are not only high school students but also university level. The function is solely to educate people of productive age who are vulnerable to activities that could potentially make them victims of TPPO,” said Hasanin. The pesantren, under the guidance of Ustadz Yusuf Mansur, is the second pesantren visited by Immigration officers out of a target of seven pesantren in Tangerang that will receive education on preventing TPPO/TPPM. Hasanin explained that the Immigration-Assisted Village is one of 15 strategic programmes from the Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto. In addition to providing education on the dangers of TPPO and TPPM, a sympathetic passport service was also provided for students, pesantren staff, and parents. According to him, the students of Tahfizh Darul Quran are a key target because the pesantren sends students abroad almost every year. “That is why we are here. Seeing that the students from the pesantren led by Kiai Yusuf Mansur are often sent to study abroad, we must also be present here to provide education to the community,” said Hasanin. The head of the Tahfizh Darul Quran Islamic Boarding School, Ustadz Yusuf Mansur, viewed the activity positively. Through this education, he became aware of the risks experienced by victims of TPPO and TPPM, highlighting the need for cooperation and collective awareness to jointly prevent these transnational crimes. “We thank the Immigration office. It is very important for our children and our extended family, especially at Darul Qur’an, to receive socialisation about the dangers of TPPO and TPPM,” said Yusuf. “I also needed to be informed, especially when the officers explained that when making a passport you must be honest. It turns out that hiding information can lead to danger, and our Immigration colleagues certainly have more sense, knowledge, experience, and understanding so that if the students can be honest, they will be safe,” Yusuf added. The socialisation and education activity was attended by more than 20 students who listened attentively, while the sympathetic passport service had 25 registered applicants. Every month, the Tangerang Special Class I Non-TPI Immigration Office conducts socialisation activities for the Immigration-Assisted Village programme to provide literacy to the public about the dangers of TPPO and TPPM.