Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that the state has pushed back over 330 illegal infiltrators in recent months and plans to expedite this process. Speaking at a special session of the Assam Assembly on Monday, June 9, 2025, Sarma emphasized his government's commitment to protecting Assam from illegal immigration, primarily from Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Sarma stated that the government is utilizing the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act of 1950 to identify and deport illegal immigrants. This act empowers district commissioners to identify and expel individuals deemed to be illegal foreigners. He added that the Supreme Court has observed that Assam doesn't always need to go through the judiciary to deport foreigners, reinforcing the validity and applicability of the 1950 Act.
The Chief Minister criticized the Congress party, alleging that they do not value citizenship. He referenced a situation where, according to him, three out of four family members of a Congress leader are not Indian citizens, alluding to Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi.
Opposition members have voiced concerns regarding the potential re-entry of deported individuals and have questioned the government's approach. Debabrata Saikia from Congress and Ashraful Hussain from AIUDF requested a debate on the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Saikia argued that some deported individuals have re-entered Assam, creating ambiguity around the government's stance. Sarma responded by asserting his identity as an Assamese first and Chief Minister second, underscoring his dedication to protecting the state's interests.
Sarma's announcement comes amid increased scrutiny and actions against illegal immigration in Assam. He noted that the process of detecting and deporting foreigners had been slowed down by the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update. With the renewed focus on the 1950 Act, the government aims to resume and intensify its crackdown on undocumented migrants.
The decision to invoke the 1950 Act allows district authorities to issue expulsion orders directly, bypassing the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in certain cases. Assam currently has 100 Foreigners Tribunals established to adjudicate citizenship for individuals flagged by the Assam Police's Border Wing. While these tribunals have been the primary mechanism for determining citizenship, the government will now use the 1950 Act for quicker deportations in cases not already pending in court.
The move has already drawn criticism from minority organizations. The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) petitioned the Governor, protesting the "continued" harassment of Indian Muslims under the pretext of identifying illegal foreigners. They allege that individuals, particularly from the Muslim community, are being picked up, interrogated, and arrested on mere suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
In late May 2025, 14 Bengali-speaking Muslims, who were declared foreigners by the FTs, were pushed back into Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh refused to accept them, leaving them stranded in the no man's land between the two countries for two days before they were eventually sent back to Assam.
Sarma also mentioned the identification of 2,600 social media accounts operating from Islamabad and Riyadh that discuss "Palestine and Assam" and allegedly support a particular leader from the state. He said he would reveal more information about these accounts in the coming days.
The Assam government's renewed focus on expelling illegal infiltrators reflects its commitment to addressing long-standing concerns about immigration and national security. While the government claims these actions are within legal bounds and necessary to protect the state, concerns remain about due process and potential impacts on minority communities.
