JOURNAL LA SOCIALE
VOL.
ISSUE 06 .
, 2025
DOI:10.
37899/journal-la-sociale.
Analysis of the Implementation of Foreign Surveillance Policy Anton Helistiawan1.
Zubakhrum Tjenreng2 Ilmu Pemerintahan.
Institut Pemerintahan Dalam Negeri Jakarta.
Indonesia Institut Pemerintahan Dalam Negeri Jakarta.
Indonesia *Corresponding Author: Dahlia Nopelina Siallagan E-mail: a.
helistiawan@gmail.
Article Info Article history:
Article history:
Received 18 August 2025 Received in revised form 2 September 2025 Accepted 19 September 2025 Keywords:
Immigration Policy Surveillance of Foreigners Policy Implementation National Security Digitization of Immigration Abstract Immigration policy is an integral part of governance that aims to maintain state sovereignty and public order.
In the midst of the dynamics of globalization and increasingly intensive cross-border human mobility.
Indonesia faces major challenges in implementing immigration policies effectively.
This article aims to analyze the implementation of the Indonesian government's policies in the field of immigration, focusing on the surveillance of foreigners as a vital instrument in ensuring national security and public order.
This paper uses a descriptive qualitative approach with the method of literature study and policy analysis, this article reveals that even though the legal and institutional framework has been formed, policy implementation still faces various challenges such as inter-agency coordination, human resource capacity, and the use of information technology.
These findings show the need to strengthen policy integration, synergy between actors, and digitize the immigration surveillance system.
Policy recommendations are focused on institutional capacity building, immigration digital reform, and strengthening multi-stakeholder Introduction Globalization accelerated by advances in transport and digital connectivity has propelled crossborder mobility to an unprecedented scale, compelling states to adopt more adaptive immigration governance.
Immigration policy is an expression of sovereignty and a core public policy lever for managing movements across borders.
In IndonesiaAos case as a strategically located archipelagic state in Southeast Asia, immigration is not merely administrative.
intersects with national security, foreign relations, and socio-economic development.
The legal foundation is provided by Law No.
6/2011 on Immigration and its implementing regulations, which govern the entry and stay of both foreign nationals (WNA) and Indonesian citizens (WNI).
IndonesiaAos strategic position in tourism, investment, border regions, and air/sea hubs anchors its role in international mobility and fuels economic dynamism.
Tourism, underpinned by rich natural and cultural endowments, drives growth, investment, and employment.
models can leverage community creativity and heritage for long-term gains (MunAoim, 2.
Digital promotion especially short-form video has been effective in raising destination visibility and inbound arrivals (Bakti & Marpaung, 2.
, complementing national campaigns such as Wonderful Indonesia and platforms like Indonesia.
Travel (Fahrizal et al.
, 2022.
Sihite & Nugroho, 2.
Post-pandemic revitalization strategies emphasize promotions and infrastructure upgrades (Anggarini, 2.
, aligning with evidence that tourism generates foreign exchange and resilience (Minardi et al.
, 2.
, while IndonesiaAos G20 presidency amplified collaboration and investment opportunities (Gunadi et al.
, 2.
Beyond tourism, international labor mobility shapes regional development, including in border areas (Winanto.
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Journal La Sociale.
Under the license CC BY-SA 4.
As an archipelago.
IndonesiaAos airports and seaports exemplified by Juanda International Airport are pivotal to seamless travel and freight (Faizah & Widagdo, 2.
digital diplomacy/marketing further cements IndonesiaAos attractiveness as a regional hub (Fahrizal et al.
, 2022.
Harahap et al.
, 2.
Against this backdrop, foreignersAo supervision is vital to national security, public order, labor protection, and a credible investment climate.
Enforcement must address visa/permit misuse and overstay while monitoring activities during stay to uphold sovereignty and integrity (Muhlisa & Roisah, 2020.
Ninage & Diamantina, 2022.
Rivando & Samputra, 2024.
Wirata et , 2.
Effective oversight supports public order by enabling proportionate responses to socially disruptive or criminal behaviors (Setiadi & Afrizal, 2019.
Sidiqah, 2.
and helps deter the misuse of visit permits, thereby protecting local workers from unfair competition (Novella & Kadir, 2.
Clear and fair immigration enforcement also bolsters investor policy innovations such as the second-home visa can attract capital when paired with safeguards that assess social and economic impacts (Hilmy, 2.
Recent operational data underscore heightened enforcement.
In Operation Wira Waspada .
17 July 2.
, the Directorate General of Immigration inspected 2,022 foreign nationals across 2,098 checkpoints, identifying 294 (OO14.
5%) alleged violations, including permit misuse, overstay, address mismatches, and fictitious sponsors.
Most inspected individuals held limited stay permits (ITAS) .
,581 person.
, with the largest infraction category being permit misuse .
, followed by overstay .
and fictitious sponsors .
Earlier, a 14 16 May 2025 operation in Greater Jakarta secured 170 foreigners from 27 countries, including 25 without travel documents, 25 providing false statements, 24 using fictitious sponsors, and 10 overstayers predominantly from Nigeria.
Cameroon.
Pakistan, and Sierra Leone.
In Semester I 2024, deportations reached 1,503 .
p 135% year-on-yea.
, administrative measures were imposed on 2,041 persons .
6% culminating in deportatio.
, immigration crime suspects rose 228% to 130 in 2024, total administrative actions (TAK) hit 5,434 .
p 150%), and the watchlist expanded to 10,583 names .
p 58%).
The drivers of these violations are structural and systemic.
Common patterns include failure to present valid travel/stay documents, reliance on fictitious sponsors, and overstay due to limited awareness of permit validity or renewal procedures.
Studies document exploitation of visa regimes e.
, using visa-free entry for unauthorized work thereby complicating enforcement (Muhlisa & Roisah, 2020.
Qalandy & Syahrin, 2.
and prompting scrutiny of sanction design (Ramzy, 2024.
Syahputra & Hadi, 2.
Persistent constraints insufficient resources and gaps in the legal framework limit effective responses (Muhlisa & Roisah, 2020.
Sudirman & Hamzah, 2.
In border regions, challenges intertwine with transnational crimes such as human trafficking and drug smuggling, notably along corridors with intense cross-border flows (Akbar et al.
, 2024.
Elyta, 2020.
Simanjuntak, 2.
GlobalizationAos facilitation of both licit and illicit mobility heightens the need for robust interagency and cross-border cooperation (Andre & Yusuf, 2024.
Dhafasha et al.
, 2021.
Hartono & Bakharuddin, 2023.
Herdayatamma.
At the same time, human rights considerations are integral to legitimate and sustainable Immigration control must balance security and public safety with the rights of migrants and refugees, ensuring due process and proportionality (Agustinningrum et al.
, 2023.
Alunaza et al.
, 2.
While existing frameworks guide practice, continual updates are needed to reflect evolving geopolitical realities and to avoid rights shortfalls (Herdayatamma, 2021.
Thontowi, 2.
In practical terms, this implies calibrated enforcement targeted, intelligenceled, and risk-sensitive paired with transparent procedures and accessible remedies.
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ISSN 2721-0847 .
Copyright A 2025.
Journal La Sociale.
Under the license CC BY-SA 4.
Despite a comprehensive regulatory framework, implementation gaps remain visible: uneven policy communication, limited data interoperability, variable interagency coordination, and constraints in technology and human resources.
Street-level enforcement around unauthorized work, permit misuse, and foreigner involvement in crime reveals procedural seams.
Strengthening multi-agency coordination .
, through standardized SOPs and empowered joint forum.
, improving information-sharing, and adopting risk-based supervision with human-rights due diligence are essential to reconcile objectives of security, order, labor protection, and investment credibility.
Against this backdrop, the present article analyzes the implementation of IndonesiaAos foreignersupervision policy.
It .
maps implementation across central, local, and street-level arenas.
identifies enabling and constraining factors policy communication, resources, implementer disposition, and structures/coordination.
assesses effectiveness using indicators of compliance, timeliness of action, coordination quality, and adherence to human rights The study aims to contribute theoretically to policy-implementation scholarship and practically to governance improvements.
The article proceeds with a literature review, methods, empirical findings, discussion with policy implications, and concludes with Methods This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical method to examine the implementation of the Indonesian government's immigration policy, especially in the supervision of foreigners.
Data was collected through literature studies from various sources, including scientific journals, policy documents, government reports, and case studies related to the implementation of immigration supervision.
The policy analysis model used in this study refers to Grindle .
approach to policy implementation, which includes two main components: the content of policy and the context of implementation.
This analysis also pays attention to governance theory that emphasizes the importance of inter-institutional synergy and the participation of non-governmental actors in the implementation of public policies.
Results and Discussion Legal and Institutional Framework in Indonesia IndonesiaAos immigration control rests on a robust statutory foundation, centered on Law No.
6/2011 and its implementing regulations.
The law mandates the Directorate General of Immigration (DGI) to conduct administrative and intelligence oversight as well as impose immigration administrative measures (TAK).
Technical guidance is elaborated in Government Regulation No.
31/2013 and ministerial regulations that specify procedures for admission, stay, supervision, and sanctions.
design, this framework aims to reconcile facilitation vital for tourism, investment, and hub connectivity with border integrity and public order.
Using GrindleAos .
implementation lens, however, the content of policy exhibits areas of ambiguity that can produce uneven application across agencies.
Grey zones such as the misuse of visit visas under the guise of investment/cultural activities reveal interpretive slack and gaps in harmonization with sectoral laws.
As a result, policy clarity and cross-regulatory consistency sometimes fall short of what front-line agencies need for decisive and standardized action (Grindle, 1980.
Sihite & Nugroho, 2.
The context of implementation likewise conditions outcomes.
High-mobility centers .
Bali and Greater Jakart.
face concentrated caseloads, but constraints in staffing, logistics, and technology adoption can blunt responsiveness.
Digital systems SIMKIM.
Cekal Online.
M-Paspor exist, yet adoption and interoperability vary geographically (Antaranews, 2.
In short, strong formal authority coexists with practical frictions in capacity, interagency coordination, and end-to-end data use frictions ISSN 2721-0960 (Prin.
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that are magnified by IndonesiaAos intensifying international mobility in tourism and investment (Bakti & Marpaung, 2024.
Fahrizal et al.
, 2022.
MunAoim, 2022.
Sihite & Nugroho, 2.
Table 1.
Legal Institutional Readiness and Gaps Dimension Current Provision/Practice Statutory basis Law No.
6/2011.
PP No.
31/2013
Mandate & powers Implementing regs Digital systems DGI: admin & intelligence oversight.
TAK
Ministerial rules operationalize SIMKIM.
Cekal Online.
M-Paspor Concentration of WNA in hubs (Bali.
Jabodetabe.
Tourism/investment growth.
Human resources Mobility context Gap/Issue Observed Some provisions interact ambiguously with sectoral rules Loopholes exploited .
, visit visa misus.
Overlap/multi-interpretation across agencies Uneven adoption.
Staffing & logistics constraints in hot spots Adds volume/complexity to Table 1 synthesizes the formal strength of IndonesiaAos framework with operational bottlenecks.
The juxtaposition of clear legal mandates and uneven technological/coordination capacity explains why implementation can lag in high-pressure locales despite adequate rules on paper.
Policy on ForeignersAo Supervision: Content vs.
Context At the policy level, foreignersAo supervision is comprehensive in scope but remains administratively oriented, offering limited operational direction for cross-sectoral coordination at the street level.
While Law No.
6/2011 and PP No.
31/2013 establish core processes, the addition of newer rules .
Ministerial Regulation No.
2/2025 on ForeignersAo Supervision and TAK) can create overlap or interpretive divergence among agencies, diluting accountability and slowing local execution (Grindle.
Sihite & Nugroho, 2.
On the context side, the adequacy of resources and the thickness of inter-organizational ties matter just as much as policy design.
Evidence from various provinces indicates that implementation teams face shortfalls in personnel, technical capacity, and logistics, leading to sporadic rather than systematic Although the DGI has rolled out APOA and SIMKIM, adoption remains uneven and data are not yet integrated across population registries, labor databases, and law-enforcement systems (Antaranews, 2.
Consequently, outcomes hinge on how well content and context are aligned.
Where political will is thin and interests diverge between vertical agencies and local governments, coordination frays (Grindle.
In such settings, familiar risks reemerge: visa/permit misuse, overstay, and unauthorized work, with downstream effects on social order and local economies.
Given IndonesiaAos ambition to remain attractive for tourism and investment while preserving security and fairness in the labor market, a riskbased, rights-sensitive supervisory model is needed to reconcile facilitation and control (Anggarini.
Minardi et al.
, 2020.
MunAoim, 2.
Table 2.
Implementation Challenges and Their Implications Aspect Policy coherence Cross-sector Data integration Resource sufficiency Challenge Identified Overlap/multi-interpretation across Weak operational direction for joint APOA/SIMKIM not fully linked to civil registry, labor, police Limited staff/logistics in high-demand Likely Consequence Inconsistent local enforcement Sectoral, episodic supervision Missed detections.
slow case Enforcement backlogs ISSN 2721-0960 (Prin.
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Community Legal clarity on Low public reporting/participation Late identification of violations Sanction design & guidance unevenly Persistent visa abuse/overstay Table 2 links systemic frictions .
oherence, coordination, data, capacit.
to practical consequences .
nconsistency, delays, persistent abus.
The pattern indicates that governance plumbing especially interop data and joint SOPs drives real-world performance at least as much as statutory design The ForeignersAo Supervision Team (TIMPORA) TIMPORA is the core inter-agency vehicle for aligning DGI.
TNI/Polri, labor offices, and local Its effectiveness varies by locality: some jurisdictions convene regular coordination meetings and joint operations.
others maintain largely administrative forums with limited field impact (Nugroho & Yudhistira, 2.
The variance suggests that mandate alone is insufficient.
routines, resourcing, and shared metrics are essential for TIMPORA to function as a tactical as well as strategic node.
A persistent constraint is data interoperability.
Immigration records are not yet seamlessly connected with civil registration (Dukcapi.
, labor systems, and police databases, creating blind spots in detecting overstay, fictitious sponsorship, and unauthorized work.
Comparative governance benchmarks .
OECD, 2.
underscore that modern immigration systems rely on interoperable, multi-agency data.
Regionally.
IndonesiaAos commitments under ASEAN including the AFMN and agreements on transboundary migration push toward facilitation for professionals, even as national security considerations demand calibrated filters (World Bank, 2.
Operationally, visa-scheme vulnerabilities .
, use of VoA or visa-free entry to work informall.
signal the need to refine selection and post-arrival supervision.
A risk-based reporting regime prioritizing high-risk profiles, sectors, and localities could focus limited resources where expected gains are highest, especially in tourism hubs and border regions (Fahrizal et al.
, 2022.
Faizah & Widagdo.
Harahap et al.
, 2.
Strengthened domestic international cooperation is also essential to address the overlap with transnational crime (Andre & Yusuf, 2024.
Hartono & Bakharuddin, 2.
Table 3.
TIMPORA Performance and Cross-Border Commitments Domain Coordination intensity Joint operations Data sharing ASEAN commitments Visa scheme integrity High-mobility hubs Current Status .
s reporte.
Active in some regions.
in others Conducted episodically Partial links with Dukcapil/Kemenaker/Police AFMN & mobility facilitation in VoA/visa-free occasionally misused for Bali.
Greater Jakarta, major airports/ports Gap/Need Standardize joint routines & Make risk-led & periodic Build interoperable, multiagency systems Bureaucratic resistance in Tighten screening.
post-arrival risk reporting Targeted staffing & analytics Table 3 shows that TIMPORAAos uneven operationalization and data silos are the main drag on Aligning coordination routines with risk-led operations and hard-wiring interop data would help reconcile ASEAN facilitation goals with IndonesiaAos security and labor-market protections.
Conclusion IndonesiaAos foreigners-supervision regime stands on a strong statutory base centered on Law No.
6/2011 and PP No.
31/2013 yet implementation outcomes remain uneven because the content of policy and the context of implementation are not fully aligned.
Ambiguities and ISSN 2721-0960 (Prin.
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overlap across instruments, capacity constraints in high-mobility hubs, fragmented data systems, and variable inter-agency coordination .
ncluding TIMPORA performanc.
create operational seams that allow visa/permit misuse, overstays, and unauthorized work to persist.
Recent enforcement surges .
, joint inspections and higher TAK/deportation count.
indicate institutional responsiveness, but they also reveal a reactive posture that is costly and difficult to sustain.
To balance facilitation for tourism, investment, and hub connectivity with national security, public order, labor protection, and human-rights due process.
Indonesia needs a shift toward risk-based, intelligence-led, and rights-sensitive implementation.
Prioritize a coherence agenda that .
harmonizes regulations and issues joint SOPs across immigration, labor, police, and local governments, and .
installs a national interoperable data layer linking SIMKIM/APOA with civil registry and labor databases using unique identifiers, audit trails, and privacy safeguards.
Strengthen TIMPORA through minimum operating standards .
adence of meetings/operation.
, shared KPIs .
ime-to-action, compliance rates, data-match hit rate.
, and targeted resourcing for Bali.
Greater Jakarta, and border corridors.
Adopt post-arrival risk screening and reporting focused on vulnerable visa classes .
, visafree/VoA) and high-risk sectors, coupled with proportionate, well-calibrated sanctions and clear remediation pathways.
Invest in human capital .
nvestigative methods, digital literacy, human-rights due diligenc.
, expand community/industry reporting channels, and publish a transparent supervision dashboard to build deterrence and investor confidence.
Finally, deepen cross-border cooperation (ASEAN and bilateral MOU.
for intelligence sharing and joint operations, and embed continuous monitoring-evaluation so pilots .
, risk scoring, e-sponsor verificatio.
can be scaled on evidence, not anecdote.
References