A strict administrative crackdown on illegal immigration initiated by the newly installed BJP government in West Bengal has triggered panic, resulting in a sudden “reverse exodus” of hundreds of undocumented migrants toward the international border. This mass movement follows a directive from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s administration implementing a tough “detect, delete, and deport” policy aimed at identifying and removing illegal foreign nationals.
On May 23, 2026, the state’s Home and Hill Affairs Department ordered all district administrations to immediately establish specialized “holding centres” to temporarily house apprehended foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting repatriation. Moving at a rapid pace, the state opened its first two operational holding facilities in the border districts of Malda and Murshidabad, which quickly began receiving their first batches of detainees. Under existing guidelines, these transit centers are used to collect biometric data and verify the nationality of suspects before they are sent to border authorities for repatriation.
The fast-moving administrative actions have caused widespread fear among undocumented communities, particularly those working as manual laborers, masons, and domestic helps in and around Kolkata. Over the last few days, long queues of people carrying heavy bags, blankets, and household utensils have formed at major border checkpoints, such as the Bithari-Hakimpur border exit in the North 24 Parganas district, as individuals attempt to return to Bangladesh voluntarily to avoid detention.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari issued a stern, direct warning to illegal immigrants, stating, “Jaldi jaldi bhago nahi toh jo karna hai sarkar karega” (Leave quickly, or the government will take necessary action). Adhikari clarified that under existing legal provisions, the state police no longer need to route intercepted infiltrators through lengthy court procedures. Instead, police have been directed to hand them over directly to the Border Security Force (BSF), which coordinates with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) for immediate deportation. The Chief Minister defended the aggressive approach, arguing that spending public money to house illegal immigrants in state prisons was harming Indian citizens and that past administrations had ignored these laws for “vote-bank politics”.
