Stop and question order on expats sparks allegations of xenophobia

The order issued by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to stop and question migrant workers found out in the streets in the middle of the night has drawn condemnation, with many calling it xenophobic and a violation of basic rights.

The decision to issue the stop and question order was announced by President Muizzu in a post on X on Wednesday afternoon.

According to him, the decision was made because “some of the migrant workers living in the Maldives are out in the streets in the middle of the night engaging in acts that disturb public order and go against society standards.”

He said that he has therefore instructed the police to stop and question migrant workers out in the streets and in public spaces between 12:00 am and 06:00 am.

ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގައި އުޅެމުންދާ ބިދޭސީންގެ ތެރެއިން ބައެއް ފަރާތްތަކުން ރޭގަނޑުގެ ދަންވަރު ވަގުތުތަކުގައި ރަށުތެރޭގެ އާއްމު މަސްލަހަތު ގެއްލޭ ފަދަ ކަންކަން ކުރަމުންދާތީއާއި އާއްމު އިޖްތިމާއީ މިންގަނޑުތަކާއި ޚިލާފަށް އުޅެމުންދާތީ, ދަންވަރު 12:00 އިން ފެށިގެން ހެނދުނު 06:00 އާއި…

— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) December 17, 2025

This drew immediate backlash.

Dr. Ahmeed Shamheed, a parliamentarian from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), called it “madness.”

“Night checks targeting migrant workers at night is unlawful and unconstitutional,” wrote the South Hulhumale’ representative on X.

He urged the police to follow the law, adding that even President Muizzu is not above it.

He also urged the Human Rights Commission of Maldives, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Parliament’s Human Rights Committee to intervene.

Please stop this racist madness.

Night checks targeting migrant workers at night is unlawful and unconstitutional.

The Police must follow the law; President @muizzu is not above it.

HRCM, PG & Parliament Human Rights Committee; act now. https://t.co/7mw672zt5T

— Ahmed Shamheed (@Ashamhyd) December 18, 2025

Shamheed told Sun that stopping and questioning migrant workers in not the solution.

He stressed that it is Maldivian employers who are recruiting migrant workers and leaving them without proper documents and without their salaries.

Shamheed said that the government should be focusing on continuing the project it initiated last year to collect the biometric data of the migrant workers in the Maldives.

He said that the stop and question order is plain discrimination.

He also asked if Maldivians would want their children to be subjected to the same treatment while abroad.

MPS before stopping and harassing people after midnight https://t.co/fPpNLkWXNe pic.twitter.com/Q3Y3qmRjI8

— Mv Worker ????????☭???? (@MvProletariat) December 17, 2025

Shahmeed doesn’t believe the decision has anything to do with “security.”

Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik, the former chairperson of MDP, said that the Maldives is bound by international treaties to respect human dignity.

He said that migrant workers have every right to be out in the streets, day or night.

ރާއްޖޭން ސޮއެކޮށްފާހުރި ބައނަލްއަޤްވާމީ މުޢާހަދާތަކަށް ބަލާއިރު އިންސާނީ ކަރާމާތަށްއިޙްތިރާމް ކުރާން ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭންވެސް ޖެހޭނެއެވެ،

ޓެކްސް ދައްކައިގެން ގެސްޓްހައުސްތަކާއި، ހޮޓާތަކުގާ އުޅޭ ބިދޭސީ ންނާއި ވިސާލިބިގެން ރާއްޖޭގާ، ވަޒީފާއަދާކުރާބިދޭސީންވެސް ރޭގަނޑާ.…

— Moosa Maniku (Reeko) (@ReekoMoosa) December 17, 2025

“We, Maldivians, also have the right to be out at night when we visit neighboring countries,” he wrote on X.

“I therefore believe targeting the migrant workers in the Maldives with night-time restrictions is only acceptable in a state of emergency.”

Reeko said that xenophobia must not become common in the Maldives.

“We charge migrants higher for even for a simple plane ticket. These are not discriminatory acts that we are subjected to by other countries,” he wrote.

Former Environment Minister Aminath Shauna shared similar sentiments.

“Calling this “security” doesn’t change what it is: xenophobia,” she wrote on X.

“Curfews that target migrant workers are discriminatory, unlawful, and violate our commitments under international law.”

Calling this “security” doesn’t change what it is: xenophobia.

Curfews that target migrant workers are discriminatory, unlawful, and violate our commitments under international law. https://t.co/US7bNCT6nC

— Shauna Aminath ????❓ (@anuahsa) December 17, 2025

In addition to instructing the police to stop and question migrant workers, President Muizzu said he has also directed them to take legal action where the authorities find anything suspicious.

The 2022 census places the population of Maldives at 500,000, including some 382,000 Maldivians and 132,400 migrants. This means that migrant workers make up for 25 percent of the total population.

But this number is expected to be higher, given the high number of undocumented workers in the country.

The Maldives launched a crackdown on irregular migration in 2023. And in May 2024, the authorities launched ‘Operation Kurangi’, an initiative to collect the biometric data of all expatriates working in the Maldives.

In September, President Muizzu said that ‘Operation Kurangi’ has helped collect data on 178,982 expatriates working in the Maldives, a large number of whom are undocumented.

He also announced an operation to identify and immediately deport expatriates involved in unlicensed business activities.

The announcement had come less than three weeks after the Homeland Security Ministry announced plans to launch a mass regularization program for undocumented expatriates.

The crackdown on irregular migration – launched in 2023 – has seen over 8,000 expatriates deported from the Maldives. Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan has previously said that the goal is not to arrest and deport expatriates, but to give them a chance to get regularized.