Around 270 migrants have been detained in recent waves of operations by immigration authorities, the Population and Immigration Authority announced Wednesday. In addition, since the start of the wave of arrests 3 days ago, more than 300 South Sudanese have turned themselves in to authorities.
The Jerusalem District Court on Thursday rejected a petition by human rights groups to bar the expulsion of South Sudanese migrants, who were supposed to have one week to leave voluntarily before Israeli authorities started arresting them.
The Department of Immigration said that though the week had not passed, they were still allowed to begin arresting the illegal migrants.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai on Thursday praised the court’s ruling, calling it “the first step in the expulsion of all the ‘infiltrators’ [in Israel].”
Alsio Wednesday, MK Danny Danon slammed the Kadima party for attacking the government decision to deport migrants. "The infiltrators from Kadima are for the infiltrators from Africa," Danon said, adding that "the kadima party is working… as an opposition part within the coalition."