Rơ Mah To, a resident of Tai Pêr Village in the central highland province of Gia Lai, has returned home from Thailand. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Kpuih Ni and his wife, Rah Lan H'Pơm, have managed to return to their hometown in the central highlands after being lured to Thailand on the promise of a better life, reported Vietnam News Agency.

They were once migrant workers in an industrial zone in Đồng Nai Province. Their meagre wages were barely enough to make ends meet. The couple always dreamed of finding higher-paying jobs and a better life.

By chance, Kpuih Ni met someone named Y San on social media. He was lured into believing that if he took the risk of illegally immigrating to a foreign country to work for a while, he would earn a lot of money.

Desiring a change in their lives, the couple decided to quit their jobs and sell all their accumulated assets to pay the guide VNĐ67 million (US$2,831).

Upon arriving in the foreign country, the couple tried to contact Y San for several days, but all their efforts failed. With no acquaintances, language proficiency, or legal documents, they realised they had been deceived and had landed in hot water.

The couple had to swallow their bitterness and accept low-paid work, living in a constant state of fear. After over a year of enduring and struggling to make a living, they managed to save enough money for the journey back.

In early June, the couple returned to their homeland with a mix of joyous reunion and regret.

Kpuih Ni shared that he deeply regretted following Y San's words in taking his wife to a foreign country. He recalled the days filled with anxiety, fearing being arrested, and not knowing how his family would survive. Even when faced with verbal abuse at work, he had to endure and save money to find a way back home.

Illegal immigration with hopes of finding higher-paying jobs is a dream of many ethnic minority people in the central highland provinces. However, the reality does not meet their expectations.

Rơ Mah To, residing in Tai Pêr Village, Ia Hla Commune, Chư Pưh District, was also a victim of a scam involving illegal immigration.

Rah Lan Đương, an ethnic minority living abroad, deceived him into believing that he would be taken to Canada to settle down.

Rơ Mah To managed to hide the sale of his farming vehicle and save up VNĐ31 million ($1,310) before fleeing to a foreign country. However, upon arrival, there was no stable job for him, and he had to struggle to make ends meet and live in constant fear.

Realising that he had been deceived, he made a phone call to his older brother, pleading for financial help so he could return home and reunite with his family, escaping the hardships of life in a foreign land.

"There were no jobs, not enough food to eat, and I had to pay for water and high-priced accommodation. I always feared being caught by the local police when going to work. I think it's even harder staying at home. The bank loan was due, my mother was weak, my wife had no job, and we struggled to raise our young child,” he recalled.

“I decided to call my older brother for help, asked him to send money and find a way back. Our family was facing financial difficulties," he said regrettably.

Kpuih Ni and Rơ Mah To said they knew approximately 50 ethnic minority people from the central highland region who had illegally immigrated to the countries they had lived in.

Most of them were living in difficult circumstances, routinely exploited and unable to report to local authorities. They hoped to return to Việt Nam soon.

Preventing illegal immigration

Lieutenant Đoàn Văn Trọng, Chief of Police in Ia Hla Commune stated that most people fled to foreign countries for economic reasons. Some were lured and deceived by malicious individuals abroad, resulting in property loss.

Illegal immigration brought numerous consequences for their families and the local community where they lived. In order to prepare for the journey, they were forced to sell valuable assets. Consequently, they had nothing left upon their return, he said.

Local police in Nhơn Hòa Village, Chư Pưh District guide local people to use social networks safely. VNA/VNS Photo

Trọng said the local authorities only provided initial essential assistance to these cases. In the long term, they must make their own efforts to restart their lives. They'll have to toe the line so they could be able to access loans for economic development.

To prevent illegal border crossings and assist those who have made mistakes, the local police advised the commune People's Committees and the Chư Pưh District police to establish task forces in four key villages.

These task forces will connect with local people and actively disseminate legal information to them.

Since the beginning of this year, the police have organised over 16 sessions on raising legal public awareness, attracting nearly 3,000 participants. These activities have helped raise awareness among local people, helping them avoid falling into the traps of criminals. – VNS