States asked to identify and deport illegal immigrants: Govt informs RS

Union Minister Rai said instances of illegal migrants who came as travellers, tourists or traders overstaying between 2014-17 was only 1,000 as compared to 1.34 lakh between 2008 and 2013

The government is tightening the noose round illegal immigrants and instructions have been issued to states to sensitise law enforcement and intelligence agencies for their identification and deportation, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

During Question Hour, Rai said instances of illegal migrants who came as travellers, tourists or traders overstaying between 2014-17 was only 1,000 as compared to 1.34 lakh between 2008 and 2013.

He said illegal migrants intruded through various modes including as tourists and 29 lakh people came between 2008 to 2013 while the number of such people swelled to 56 lakh between 2014 and 2017.

He said in Karnataka process is on to deport 58 or 59 such persons.

"Illegal immigrants enter the country without valid travel documents in a clandestine and surreptitious manner," he said and added detection, detention and deportation of such illegally staying foreign nationals, including Bangladeshi nationals, is an ongoing process.

The minister said the Central government is vested with powers to detain a foreign national staying illegally in the country under the Foreigners Act and deport such a foreign national.

"These powers to detain and deport illegally staying foreign nationals have also been entrusted under Article 258 (1) of the Constitution of India to State governments," he said.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued instructions to state governments/union territories advising them to sensitise law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking appropriate prompt steps for identification of illegal migrants, their restriction to specified locations as per provision of law, capturing their biographic and biometric particulars, cancellation of fake Indian documents and legal proceedings including deportation.

"They have also been advised to share particulars of those illegal migrants who have wrongfully obtained Aadhar cards for appropriate legal action," he said.

Besides states have also been advised to cancel any identification documents obtained fraudulently by illegal migrants viz, voter card, driving license, ration card etc, he added.