Assam Government Intensifies Action Against Illegal Immigration

Government's Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants
Guwahati, June 9: In a significant move against illegal immigration, the Assam government has successfully repatriated 330 individuals identified as illegal immigrants, as announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the Assembly session on Monday.
This operation was executed under the Immigrants Expulsion from Assam Act of 1950, reflecting the state's renewed strategy following a pivotal Supreme Court ruling regarding Section 6A of the Citizenship Act in 2024.
During a special session of the Assembly, in response to a Rule 301 (Special Mention) raised by Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia, Sarma highlighted the Supreme Court's 2024 decision, which confirmed 1971 as the cutoff year for citizenship in Assam. He noted that this ruling has empowered the state to act directly without needing to refer cases to the Foreigners Tribunal.
“The 1950 Expulsion Act is still in effect. The Supreme Court has made it clear that the Deputy Commissioner can now remove anyone suspected of being a foreigner,” Sarma stated, indicating a notable change in the legal and administrative approach to illegal immigration in the region.
When questioned by Saikia about the return of any of the repatriated individuals, Sarma confirmed that none of the 330 have returned. “Indeed, some were sent back despite having ongoing High Court cases. However, we have managed to bring them back through both formal and informal diplomatic channels, adhering to the Supreme Court's directives,” he explained.
The Chief Minister also addressed concerns regarding delays in issuing NRC rejection slips, attributing the holdup to a Supreme Court order from 2019 that required securing NRC data before moving forward.
Sarma mentioned that a central agency is currently working on securing this data through an Information Security Management System (ISMS), with completion expected within 8 to 12 months.
“Once this is accomplished, the government will be ready to issue NRC rejection or acceptance slips,” he added.
However, he expressed apprehensions regarding the final NRC list, citing issues of fraudulent registrations and duplicate names.
“We do not regard the current NRC as final. We have requested the Centre and the Supreme Court to permit a sample re-verification—20% in border districts and 10% in other areas. If no discrepancies are found, we will proceed with the list. Only then will the public have confidence in it,” Sarma remarked.
He noted that this concern is echoed by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), which has called for a revised NRC.
Referring to the Supreme Court's decision in the Rafikul Haque vs Union of India case, Sarma emphasized that inclusion in the NRC does not provide legal immunity if an individual is declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal.
“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that being included in the NRC does not influence the Tribunal's decision. Therefore, we will continue the detection process even for those listed in the NRC,” he stated.
Reaffirming his government's commitment, the Chief Minister concluded, “Under the Illegal Expulsion Act, if a Deputy Commissioner suspects someone to be a foreigner, they can be repatriated without going through the Tribunal.”