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Turkey has stepped up its crackdown on undocumented refugees, as public hostility towards migrants grows. Data published by the Turkish Ministry of Interior show that as of December 18, a total of 152,331 irregular migrants were detained nationwide in 2025.

The single largest group were Afghans with 42,202 people, followed by Syrian nationals (21,117). Migrants from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Morocco, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan and Yemen were also among those apprehended. Turkey has increasingly become a destination and transit country for migrants fleeing economic hardship, political instability, conflict and insecurity in their home countries.

Many are hoping to travel on to Europe via Turkey, which is coming under pressure from Brussels to curb the flow. As a result, Ankara has significantly intensified its enforcement operations.

These measures include more patrols, raids in major cities like Istanbul and Izmir, and a sharp rise in deportations.

Ankara has been accused of abusing migrants its borders and inside detentions centres. A report published last year by Politico, Der Spiegel, and other European media outlets documented widespread abuse.

It cited instances of Afghan and Syrian refugees being subjected to beatings, verbal abuse, and prolonged confinement in freezing cold rooms for up to 12 hours as a coercive measure to force acquiescence to deportation.

These practices have been condemned by the United Nations and major human rights organisations.

They accuse Turkish border guards and police of employing excessive and cruel force.

Turkey has seen a big rise in irregular migration over the past decade.The number of migrants arrested by authorities rose from 58,647 in 2014 to 454,662 in 2019, before declining during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ankara has also stepped up its operations against human smuggling networks. As of mid-December 2025, 10,883 migrant smugglers were apprehended nationwide.