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Illegal Migrants
Spain announced it was installing a 500-metre-long (1,600-foot) containment barrier on the sea border between its North African territory of Ceuta and neighbouring Morocco after between 50,000 and 60,000 migrants breached the frontier earlier this week. The death toll has climbed to 67, including some who drowned and others who were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier, the Spanish government said Saturday. A handful of exhausted migrants who swam to Ceuta's urban Tarajal beach Saturday morning were met by soldiers who escorted them back across the border. Spain's interior ministry says the majority of those who entered the Spanish territory in North Africa have already returned to Morocco. "We are relentless against those who break the law," Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told journalists in Ceuta on Saturday. Questioned how this massive border breach could have happened given the heavy security on both sides of the border and whether Morocco pose
Spain will deploy its military to restore order at its border with Morocco in Ceuta after thousands of migrants streamed into the tiny Spanish territory, with at least nine dying in the attempt. The announcement comes after local authorities in Ceuta had asked the central government in Madrid for reinforcements to manage a border crisis that had been building up before boiling over on Thursday with large crowds of people breeching the border fence. Spain's government said Thursday evening it would send the Armed Forces to help the Civil Guard "to maintain security in the city of Ceuta." It also announced that Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would join Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and visit Ceuta Friday. "The situation is absolute chaos," Rachid Sbihi, head of the association that represents Spain's Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, who police the border told The Associated Press. "It's not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing
A parliamentary committee has said that illegal migration from Bangladesh continues to remain a matter of "serious concern", as it also recommended that a "dedicated bilateral mechanism" or a joint working group be set up between the two countries to monitor the progress of nationality verification and repatriation. The panel also noted that continued diligence is essential to "ensure that Indian nationals are not deported to Bangladesh in error". The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, said this in a report tabled in Parliament on Thursday. It is titled - "Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/ Recommendations contained in the Ninth Report of the Committee on the subject 'Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship'". The panel noted that illegal migration from Bangladesh "continues to remain a matter of serious concern, particularly in the border states of West Bengal and Assam". The committee said it is aware tha
A federal appeals court on Wednesday sided with the Trump administration and stayed a lower court's order keeping in place temporary protections for 60,000 migrants from Central America and Nepal. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco granted the emergency stay pending an appeal as immigrants rights advocates allege that the administration acted unlawfully in ending Temporary Protected Status designations for people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. Temporary Protected Status is a designation that can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary, preventing migrants from being deported and allowing them to work. The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, thus making more people eligible for removal. It's part of a wider effort by the administration to carry out mass deportations of immigrants.
With reports of Bengali-speaking migrant workers allegedly being detained and harassed in several Indian states triggering outrage, the West Bengal government and the ruling TMC have launched a multi-layered initiative to tackle the crisis with a blend of administrative urgency and political outreach. In what officials and TMC leaders call a "coordinated and calibrated" approach, the government has rolled out a WhatsApp-only helpline, reactivated district-level migrant welfare cells, and empowered grassroots-level TMC task forces across migration-prone districts to serve as first responders and grievance redressal units. "The approach is two-pronged. On one hand, the government has launched helplines and activated its administrative machinery to contact officials in other states, while on the other, the party has established multi-layered coordination teams, ranging from the grassroots to the district levels. Our workers are constantly in touch with families of migrants, especially i
UK government figures Sunday showed nearly 1,200 migrants arrived in the country Saturday in small boats from France across the English Channel, the highest number recorded on a single day so far this year. The latest Home Office figures show that 1,194 migrants arrived in 18 boats Saturday in what were settled weather conditions, bringing the provisional annual total so far to 14,811. That's 42% higher than the same point last year, an increase that has piled pressure on the Labour government, which returned to power nearly a year ago partly on disillusionment with the previous Conservative administration's efforts to get a grip on the numbers making the crossing. Having ditched the Conservative government's plan to send migrants who arrived in the UK by unauthorised means to Rwanda, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would get control by smashing the gangs and the business models that sustain their smuggling operations. Since gaining power, Starmer's government has .
In response to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's appeal to the people of the strife-torn state to voluntarily surrender looted and illegally held weapons within seven days, an umbrella body of Imphal-based civil society organisations of the Meiteis on Saturday requested him to "engage formally with local youth leaders to ensure a cooperative approach in recovering arms from civilian volunteers". In a statement, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also said that the "seven-day timeframe is too short for meaningful engagement with the stakeholders and the public." Bhalla had on February 20 urged the people of the state to surrender weapons within seven days, assuring no punitive action would be initiated against those giving up arms during this period. He, however, had asserted that "strict action" would be taken after the expiry of the deadline. COCOMI said, "We acknowledge this (governor's appeal for surrendering arms) as a necessary step under the law of the
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said the country cannot have millions of illegal migrants and allow the electoral politics to be disturbed by demographic dislocations, as he appealed to the youth to neutralise anti-national narratives. Dhankhar, also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, voiced concerns over frequent disruptions in Parliament. Speaking at the World Forum of Accountants (WOFA) conference in the national capital, he said the youth should be concerned about the existential challenges. "Our nation cannot afford to have millions of illegal migrants... We cannot allow our electoral politics to be disturbed by demographic dislocations and earthquakes. These are things that will matter for you because these are the challenges for which you have to collectively finally answer," he said. Without elaborating further, Dhankhar said, "I have no doubt... kaha jaatha hai, samajdhar ko eshaara kafi hai (it is said that for informed people, signal is enough)". Expressing ...
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, addressing the 76th foundation day celebrations of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, raised concerns over the presence of illegal refugees in the country and called for immediate action to safeguard the nation's interests. He also urged the youth to take a stand against individuals and entities engaged in anti-national activities. "There are crores of illegal refugees in India who pose serious challenges to our healthcare, education, and employment sectors," Dhankhar said. "This is a matter of grave concern, as they are now seeking to influence electoral processes. Across the globe, developed nations are addressing such issues, and India, too, must act swiftly for its stability and dignity." He further stressed, "It is essential to confront and neutralise those forces working to weaken India and align with anti-national elements. The youth must exercise their immense power to counter such threats effectively." Highlighting Uttar Pradesh's contribution to ..