MOSCOW (Realist English). State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin has stated that new legislative norms have given law enforcement agencies “even more opportunities to restore order in the migration sphere.” He made the statement on 11 August in his channel on the MAX messenger.
According to Volodin, on 11 August 2025, a federal law came into force expanding the list of grounds for revoking acquired Russian citizenship. “We are talking about those who committed a serious criminal offence after obtaining Russian citizenship,” the speaker noted.
Key results of the new norms
Volodin cited Interior Ministry data as of May 2026, demonstrating the significant results achieved in the migration sphere:
| Indicator | Data |
| Russian citizenship revoked | more than 4,500 people |
| Of these – by court verdicts for criminal offences | over 3,000 |
| For failure to register for military service | more than 400 |
| For actions posing a threat to state security | about 300 |
| Share of decisions in the last year | 40 % |
| Migrants deported (H1 2026) | 43,700 (65.5% more than in H1 2025) |
Expansion of law enforcement powers
The Duma speaker highlighted several key legislative changes that have expanded the capabilities of the police and other law enforcement agencies:
- Transfer of powers from the Labour Ministry to the Interior Ministry. In July 2026, the State Duma passed a law transferring to the Ministry of Internal Affairs part of the Labour Ministry’s powers in regulating labour migration.
This concerns, in particular, the approval of lists of professions for qualified foreign specialists eligible for simplified residence permits or employment outside quotas. “We expect the Interior Ministry to restore order in labour migration regulation,” Volodin said.
- Extrajudicial deportation. Since February 2025, the Interior Ministry has been granted the right to make extrajudicial decisions on the deportation of foreign nationals for administrative offences. Analysis shows that the introduced norms are working, and the police are actively exercising these powers.
- Expansion of grounds for deportation. Last week, a law was passed more than doubling the list of articles of the Code of Administrative Offences (CAO) that provide for deportation – from 22 to 45.
New grounds for deportation
Migrants are now subject to deportation for violations of 45 articles of the CAO, including:
| Category of Violation | Examples |
| Disobedience to authorities | Failure to comply with a lawful order of a police officer or serviceman during border protection |
| Information offences | Online dissemination of information insulting human dignity and public morality |
| Discrediting | Public actions aimed at discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, calls for sanctions against Russia |
| Public order | Disturbance of public order |
| Discrimination | Violation of human rights based on sex, race, nationality, language, age, or religion |
Revocation of citizenship: over 80 grounds
Volodin recalled that the number of grounds for revoking acquired Russian citizenship now exceeds 80. The list includes:
- murder;
- crimes against sexual integrity;
- acts aimed at organising prostitution with violence or involving minors;
- production and circulation of materials with pornographic images of minors;
- crimes against the constitutional order and state security;
- organising illegal migration;
- any other offence committed on extremist grounds or aimed at justifying terrorism or sabotage.
Systematic work on migration policy
Volodin stressed that since 2024, the State Duma has adopted 31 federal laws aimed at improving migration policy. A legal framework has been created to curb illegal migration.
As the speaker noted, “we are united in the view that anyone who comes to our country must comply with Russian laws, know the language, and respect our traditions and culture.”
According to Interior Ministry data, in the first quarter of 2026, the number of crimes committed by migrants fell by 38.9%. At the same time, in 2025, foreign citizens obtained 2.3 million patents for labour activity in Russia, 9% more than in 2024.
Strengths and pressure points
The measures adopted demonstrate a systematic approach by legislators to tightening migration controls. The expansion of Interior Ministry powers, extrajudicial deportation and the significant increase in grounds for deportation and citizenship revocation create, in the authors’ view, effective tools for restoring order in the migration sphere.
The statistics cited by Volodin indicate a rise in deportations and a decline in crime among migrants.
At the same time, some experts and human rights advocates have expressed concern about the expansion of extrajudicial police powers and the risks of possible abuse.
Critics also point out that expanding the list of grounds for deportation to 45 CAO articles, including such formulations as “disturbance of public order,” could leave broad scope for subjective interpretation.
For migrants and employers, the key question remains the practical implementation of the new norms and their impact on the labour market, especially given the transfer of some powers from the Labour Ministry to the Interior Ministry.
