The Magistrates’ Court in Brunei has sentenced a 39-year-old Thai national to ten months in prison for breaking the Immigration Act.  Wichian Kladkham came to Brunei as laborer in 1989 and stayed illegally for a total of 7 years and three months until he was arrested for overstaying his visa.  

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The Japanese Justice Ministry’s Immigration Bureau has added a new section on its website that allows people to submit information on undocumented foreigners in a government effort to halve the number of illegal foreign residents within five years.   Ministry spokesmen said the new system makes it easier for Japanese citizens to report information on undocumented foreigners.  Spokesmen also stated that the ministry has no intention of encouraging more people to report on foreign residents or to cause alarm about the presence of illegal foreigners.

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In the Dominican Republic, migration director Miguel Vasquez has placed a temporary freeze on repatriations of illegal Haitian migrants until the current rebellion in Haiti ends. Normally, up to 4,000 Haitians are sent back to their country every month.

It has been reported that the Haitian border town of Ouanaminthe is now under the control of rebel forces, who burned down the police station.  Dominican authorities have closed the border at Dajabon, the border town next to Ouanaminthe to prevent a stampede of refugees.

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In Saudi Arabia, the majority of deportees are Muslims who come before Ramadan, overstay till Haj and then want to return home either on their own, are caught by authorities, or surrender voluntarily for a flight home, for which they have to pay themselves.  Many choose this last option because this is the only way they can afford to go on Haj.

Airlines who fly through Saudi Arabia have said that a significant amount of their business comes from deportees.  However, this business is decreasing as the government makes new efforts to reduce overstaying by strictly implementing the new Haj and Umrah regulations.  Umrah overstayers have about 45 days following Haj to return on their own, after which they are deported.    

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Jeremy Hinzaman, a US soldier refusing to fight in Iraq, claimed refugee status in Canada.  He fled Fort Bragg in North Carolina on January 2, 2004, with his wife and 18-month-old son, to Toronto two days before his regiment was scheduled to leave for Iraq.

Mr. Hinzman is believed to be the only US soldier seeking refugee status.  However, pacifist organizations in the US say the number of conscientious objectors in the US military is growing and some are looking to escape active duty by fleeing to Canada, where many soldiers took refuge during the Vietnam War.

Mr. Hinzman’s lawyer argues that the US army is “forcing him to participate in a war that is unlawful according to international law.”  He stated that if Mr. Hinzman is denied refugee status, they will look at other options, which include requesting that he remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds.