PERAN PEGAWAI IMIGRASI DALAM MENANGGAPI IMIGRAN ILEGAL DI TANJUNGPINANG

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the role of immigration officers in responding to the illegal immigrant problem in Tanjungpinang. Tanjungpinang as a strategic border region directly adjacent to Singapore and Malaysia faces significant challenges related to the influx of illegal immigrants. Data from the Tanjungpinang Class I TPI Immigration Office shows an increase in illegal immigrant cases from 157 cases in 2022 to 203 cases in 2023. This research uses a qualitative approach with an in-depth interview method with immigration employees at the Tanjungpinang Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim). The results showed that immigration officers have a multidimensional role in handling illegal immigrants, including the functions of immigration control, the implementation of immigration administrative actions, and the implementation of immigration quarantine. Immigration officers act as the frontline in identifying, detecting and handling illegal immigrants, mostly Vietnamese sailors caught in Indonesian territory and Rohingya immigrants who entered through illegal channels from Malaysia. The handling process involved intensive coordination with various related agencies including TNI, Polri, PSDKP, as well as international organizations such as UNHCR. The main challenges faced include limited human resources, the geographical complexity of the islands, and the diverse characteristics of the cases handled. This research contributes to the development of an understanding of the effectiveness of the role of immigration officers in maintaining state sovereignty and provides recommendations for improving the immigration control system in border areas.