Hong Kong has deported 113 rejected non-refoulement claimants after a week-long operation, according to the Immigration Department.

The operation codenamed “Shield” involved deporting a group of 68 men and 45 women, some of whom had completed prison sentences for criminal offences in the city.

“A total of 113 unsubstantiated non-refoulement claimants who were illegal immigrants and overstayers were repatriated to their places of origin,” the department said on Monday.

“The persons removed … mainly originated from Vietnam, Indonesia and India. Among them were discharged prisoners who had committed criminal offences and had been sentenced to imprisonment.”

The seven-day enforcement sweep, beginning from last Monday, was a result of an updated repatriation policy implemented on December 7, 2022, allowing officers to deport a claimant once his or her judicial review bid was dismissed by the High Court.

Officials have said that the swift removal of rejected applicants can deter abuse of the system and free up resources for genuine protection cases.