Modi vows to clean up migrants hurting Bihar West Bengal Assam

(ASSAM, INDIA) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has renewed his pledge to address illegal migration from Bangladesh, a long-running flashpoint across India’s northeast and eastern states. The push comes as Assam expands its network of detention centers and steps up deportations, with local leaders arguing that unchecked cross-border movement strains jobs, land, and security.

While New Delhi presses Dhaka to accept returnees, Bangladesh questions the scale of the problem, slowing the pace of removals and keeping tensions high along the border.

Recent enforcement actions

Indian officials have recently moved visible enforcement measures to the front. Between December 31, 2024, and January 2, 2025, 30 individuals were deported, according to reports shared with state authorities. These cases reflect a broader drive to identify and remove people found to be in India without valid documents.

The government maintains detention centers in Assam and Delhi to hold detainees ahead of deportation, saying the facilities are needed to manage cases while travel documents are verified and travel is arranged.

Assam’s role and detention infrastructure

Assam has taken a lead role in the enforcement drive. The state’s existing facilities operate in:

• Goalpara
• Kokrajhar
• Silchar
• Dibrugarh
• Jorhat
• Tezpur

Officials say new sites are under construction to add capacity as enforcement grows. Authorities argue these centers are essential to:

• Maintain custody and limit absconding
• Coordinate with foreign missions for travel permits
• Provide separate infrastructure for families that respects child welfare rules (housing arrangements vary by site)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a high-profile drive in August 2025 to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants and to reclaim public land he says was encroached upon during earlier settlement waves. State police, border units, and district administrations were directed to run coordinated checks. The state government contends that focused enforcement restores confidence among local communities who believe past efforts were uneven or too slow.

Security and border context

Security officials warn that illegal migration can create blind spots that extremist groups may try to exploit. Investigators have linked the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) to activities aimed at sensitive corridors, including the Siliguri Corridor that connects the northeast to the rest of India.

While such cases are not the norm, they bolster support for tighter vetting and faster removals. The Union government has pushed for stricter border management and closer coordination between states and central agencies to track irregular entries and forged documents.

For official guidance on foreigners’ law and deportation procedures, see the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Foreigners Division: https://www.mha.gov.in/division_of_mha/foreigners-division

Historical and social roots

The roots of today’s tensions run deep. Many families crossed into India during and after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The 1985 Assam Accord promised a framework to identify and address post-1971 entrants, but progress has been uneven and documentation gaps remain.

Over time, local leaders in Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar say demographic shifts changed village economies and electoral landscapes. These claims are hotly debated, yet they continue to shape district-level politics.

Economics compounds the issue:

• Employers may hire undocumented workers at lower wages, undercutting local labor markets.
• Residents argue this wage pressure depresses incomes for lawful workers and fuels resentment.
• Community groups express cultural concerns about rapid arrivals altering schools, markets, and places of worship.

Officials warn these social tensions can flare during elections or land disputes.

Politics, policy, and human impact

Prime Minister Modi has vowed a cleanup of illegal migration but has not outlined new timelines or specific legislative steps recently. The central government’s approach remains:

• Reduce irregular crossings
• Tighten legal pathways
• Pursue diplomatic solutions with Bangladesh

Indian officials say cooperation is needed to verify identities and issue travel permits. However, Bangladesh has not acknowledged the magnitude of illegal migration claimed by Indian states, complicating removals and slowing returns.

Experts diverge on future developments:

• Some economists highlight Bangladesh’s rising per capita income and improved job prospects, suggesting the pull into India may be weaker than before.
• Political analysts note the issue retains electoral weight, with parties sometimes framing migration to rally supporters.

On the ground, enforcement measures—house-to-house verifications, workplace raids, and checks—remain deeply personal for families whose status is questioned.

Operational pathway and practical effects

Assam’s operational map shows the infrastructure built to support enforcement. The typical pathway for identified cases runs:

1. Identification
2. Detention
3. Consular coordination
4. Removal flights or escorted border transfers

Without valid travel papers from Bangladesh, cases can remain in limbo for months.

For those flagged as suspected illegal migrants, the stakes are immediate:

• Detention separates families and halts income
• Increased fear in neighborhoods where many speak Bengali at home
• Mixed-status families may face intrusive checks
• Workers worry about wage competition and land pressure
• Small business owners fear penalties if inspectors find undocumented staff

District officials say complaint lines are open, but they caution against false reporting that can inflame tensions.

The core challenge: differentiating long-settled residents, citizens, and recent entrants remains legally and administratively sensitive.

Policy trade-offs and forward-looking measures

Policymakers must navigate trade-offs. Measures widely supported across parties include:

• Border fencing
• Better identity checks
• Faster case processing

But implementation is resource-heavy and legally complex. Verifying nationality requires record-sharing and bilateral cooperation that only moves as fast as both countries allow.

Looking ahead, New Delhi and Dispur are expected to continue:

• Stepped-up enforcement
• Construction of new detention centers
• Regular deportation drives

The central government emphasizes pairing law enforcement with talks with Bangladesh to ensure returns are humane and lawful. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, states will likely press for faster identity verification pipelines so detainees are not held longer than necessary and removal orders can be carried out promptly.

Practical steps for stakeholders

• For migrants:
  • Expect ID checks, workplace inspections, and targeted drives
  • Those without valid documents face detention and deportation
• For local communities:
  • District administrations may add curbs on unlawful land use
  • Job-site audits may expand to deter illegal hiring
• For policymakers:
  • Continued focus on bilateral coordination, case tracking, and legal reforms to clarify status determination and appeal rights

Unresolved core dispute

The central disagreement remains: how many people from Bangladesh are in India without status, and how quickly can both sides process returns? Until those answers align, India’s border states will continue treating illegal migration as a top law-and-order concern, while families on both sides of the border live with persistent uncertainty.