Illegal Immigration: A Rising Concern for India
Every year, approximately 2.5 million people leave India in search of better opportunities abroad. The United States hosts the largest number of Indian immigrants, representing 1.6% of the U.S. population of 345 million. Despite this, there has been a consistent rise in the number of illegal Indian immigrants deported back to India.
Since 2009, 15,756 illegal immigrants have been deported to India from the U.S. This number has increased over the years. For example, in 2019, there were 2,042 deportations (highest) and by 2025, 104 individuals had already been sent back.
This trend raises a series of troubling questions:
Why are so many people willing to take the risk of selling property, parting with wealth, and exposing themselves to danger by migrating illegally?
What leads them to this decision, despite knowing the possibility of deportation?
The Impact of Illegal Immigration
The process of illegal immigration is fraught with dangers and exploitation. In many cases, people fall victim to fraud, corruption, and human trafficking. But rather than focusing solely on punishing the immigrants, it is essential to address the root causes:
Why is the Indian government not taking more proactive steps to prevent this issue before it escalates?
Shouldn't the agents and companies facilitating this illegal immigration be held accountable rather than the individuals being deceived?
Can those who are deceived by fake documents and illegal routes recover their hard-earned money?
These questions raise concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s approach to tackling corruption and illegal migration. Policies such as demonetization, the new tax regime, and GST have failed to significantly address these fundamental issues of bribery and corruption, which continue to persist and even escalate. Despite the anti-corruption campaign ("Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga") initiated in 2014, corruption still runs deep in India, and the wealth gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever.
Deportation and Its Aftermath
Deported individuals face several consequences once they return to India. They are often banned from re-entering the countries they were deported from and many face legal repercussions for possessing fraudulent documents.
For example, 104 Indian nationals were recently deported from the U.S. via C-17 military aircraft. A total of 487 more individuals are facing final removal orders. The cost for deporting each individual is $4,675, which is five times the cost of a first-class ticket. The deportees have shared distressing accounts of their treatment, where they were handcuffed, shackled, and forced to walk in painful conditions. These conditions were captured in a video by U.S. Border Patrol, which led to public outrage.
This raises the critical question:
Why didn't India take responsibility for repatriating its citizens in a more humane manner? When high-ranking officials travel abroad, they are often afforded first-class flights or even private jets. So, why can't the Indian government provide the same level of dignity and respect to its deported citizens?
The Indian Government's Role in Preventing Illegal Immigration
The U.S. government provided India with a list of 487 deportees for verification, but India only managed to provide details of 298 individuals on the list. What about the remaining yet?
Many deportees have paid a steep price for their journey. They have spent anywhere from ₹30 lakhs to ₹1 crore to agents who promise to help them reach a better life in the U.S. But the journey is perilous. They must cross 17-18 dangerous hills, and many end up injured or even die along the "donkey route". In fact, several migrants have witnessed dead bodies along the way. The movie Dunky", starring Shahrukh Khan, dramatizes this brutal journey, which sheds light on the harrowing experiences faced by these migrants.
A Call for Government Intervention
Despite these showcase on Cinema of India, about dangers many individuals continue to take the risk of illegal migration, hoping for a better life. But, why is the Indian government not stepping in to end this cycle of exploitation? It has become a regular trend to receive deported Indian nationals, but there are no long-term solutions to address the root causes.
The NRI Affairs Minister recently stated that it is better for deported immigrants to return home than to face life in a U.S. jail. While this might provide some relief to Indian families who can reunite with their loved ones, it does not solve the larger issue of why so many people are willing to take such risks in the first place.
The Need for Stronger Measures
The Indian government must take more concrete steps to prevent illegal immigration and hold the agents responsible for this exploitation. The lack of strict legal action against these companies is a glaring loophole that encourages more people to put their lives at risk. Additionally, a more humane approach is needed when it comes to the repatriation of deported citizens. It is time for India to act with more compassion and responsibility.
India also needs to tackle the root causes of illegal migration, such as poverty, lack of opportunity and corruption. Until these fundamental issues are addressed, people will continue to seek desperate measures for a better life, and the cycle of illegal immigration will persist.
Conclusion
The problem of illegal immigration is a serious one that requires urgent attention. It is not enough to simply punish the individuals involved; the agents and companies facilitating this migration must be held accountable. The government should also ensure that deported individuals are treated with dignity and humanity, while addressing the underlying causes that drive people to take such risks. Without a comprehensive approach, illegal immigration will continue to be a major issue for India, leading to exploitation, corruption, and suffering for many.
Note: This article dent tends to hurt the sentiments of individual or people in general. All the information has been taken from different websites available online and doesn't owe any responsibility for any information.
#Righttospeak #governmentinpower #misnistersinpower #youthvoicetobeheard #justiceforall #humanebehaviour #betterlife #betternation #betterIndia