AndhraNews.Net - Illegal migration to foreign countries

New Delhi: July 15, 2004

Rajya Sabha

Some cases of alleged involvement in defrauding people by promising to help them illegally entering the USA, UK, Canada and other countries have been reported. The action taken by Government to prevent illegal migration to foreign countries include investigation by the police authorities concerned; action against the persons, including agents, who are involved in illegal migration; cooperation with other countries for repatriation of illegal migrants after confirming their Indian nationality; and restricting the facility of passport to illegal migrants.

This information was given to Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri E. Ahamed in reply to a question by Shri Abu Asim Azmi.

Making a statement in the House, the Minister said, 'Both the Central and State Governments have been working to identify agents and touts involved in illegal immigration and to take all necessary measures against them. The Government is also cooperating with the foreign countries for the speedy repatriation of Indian illegal immigrants.’

The following is the full text of the Minister’s statement :

"During the past few years, a number of Indian Missions/Posts abroad have brought to Ministry’s notice several incidents of Indian nationals – individually or in groups – making attempts to migrate to countries in Western Europe and North America through illegal and fraudulent means. Many of these illegal immigrants are from Punjab. They try to migrate illegally mainly for economic reasons and are often assisted by unscrupulous agents and touts to whom they pay large sums of money. These illegal immigrants are taken to the developed countries in Western Europe and North America through Russia and other Eastern European countries which are used as transit countries for the purpose of illegal immigration. The general modus operandi for such activities is that after leaving India they intentionally lose or destroy their travel documents to prevent verification of their real identity/nationality status and their repatriation back to India. After reaching the country of their destination they either apply for political asylum or refugee status on one ground or the other or even obtain fake/forged travel documents establishing their right of residence in the country of destination. They make use of loopholes in the local legal system, inlcuding by getting married to a local person for the purpose of obtaining citizenship, in order to prolong their stay in the country of destination with the ultimate aim of staying there permanently. However, many such illegal immigrants are caught and put in foreign jails.

Illegal immigration has largely been taking place from the developing and least developed countries to the developed countries in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. However, in the post-9/11 scenario European and North American countries which were favoured destinations for illegal immigration have made their rules more stringent. The result is that not only the number of persons going to these countries as illegal immigrants has come down but these countries have also started repatriating illegal immigrants to their home countries.

The illegal immigration from India continues unabated and various countries of the world, particularly Western Europe and North America as also transit countries in Eastern Europe, are swamped by fresh illegal immigrants from India almost on a daily basis. The number of agents and touts also seems to be increasing as illegal immigrants try to use all means including illegal means, to reach their destinations.

Both the Central and State Governments have been working to identify agents and touts involved in illegal immigration and to take all necessary measures against them. The Government is also cooperating with the foreign countries for the speedy repatriation of Indian illegal immigrants."

Press Release: PIB

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