Govt issues advisories to check influx of illegal migrants
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 23 2025: The state government has issued advisories to district administrations for strict compliance in view of apprehension of influx of illegal migrants into the state especially due to the turmoil situation in neighbouring countries.

In an office memorandum issued on Wednesday, commissioner-cum-secretary (Home) N Ashok Kumar directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) for robust mechanism to prevent anyone from crossing into the state's boundaries illegally and to maintain utmost vigil at international, inter-state and inter-district boundaries, so as to prevent unauthorised entries.

Govt issues advisories to check influx of illegal migrants

Any such movement, if detected, should be immediately reported and biographic and biometric details of such persons should be captured mandatorily.

The illegal migrants shall be kept at secured designated locations for providing shelter and humanitarian support without allowing them to get mixed up or naturalised with local populace.

All such illegal migrants shall be deported after following due procedures, elaborated the home commissioner.

The Home Department memorandum also stated that all DCs shall constitute district level committee with members from district police to conduct checking at all suspected locations and shall hold regular review of the same.

DCs shall regularly monitor the exit-entry points under Border Pass System.

Tracing of defaulters/overstayed cases shall be done through district police, it added.

The memorandum further directed that district level task force for checking of illegal migrants, comprising additional SP of the district concerned as team leader, officer representing office of DC not below the rank of SDC, representative of Assam Rifles/BSF/ CRPF as desired by team leader and biometric staffers, shall have to be made operational at the earliest.

Mention may be made that back in June, 2024, Assam Rifles had issued a strong denial in response to allegations by Naga civil bodies and organisations regarding the presence of illegal immigrants in Manipur.

Naga organisations, including the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women's Union (NWU), All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM), and Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPM-HR), had submitted a memorandum to union home minister Amit Shah, requesting the repatriation of alleged illegal migrants and fugitives from Myanmar and called for the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from areas along the Indo-Myanmar border near Kamjong in Manipur.

Reacting to the allegations, Assam Rifles had clarified that "in the area extending from Border Pillar 82 to 89, some refugees have indeed taken shelter due to the warlike situation in Myanmar.

However, they are repatriated as soon as the security situation improves across the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB).

The accommodation for these refugees consists of selfhelp, bare essential thatched huts with polythene covers".

Assam Rifles had also stated that the administration in Manipur is fully informed about the presence of refugees and has collected their biometric data.

"There is proper coordination in terms of security between the Security Forces and the State Administration.

Security Forces maintain a vigilant presence and are actively managing the border area to prevent any unlawful activities," specified the Assam Rifles in a letter addressing the allegations.

It is also pertinent to add here that in May, 2024, in view of the increasing influx of illegal Myanmar migrants in the state, various challenges posed by the illegal migrants, and the need to regularly monitor and check the influx of illegal migrants, the state government had appointed 10 nodal officers (five from civil and five from police) in five districts bordering Myanmar to take actions to check and monitor the influx of illegal migrants in their respective districts.

The nodal officers were tasked to initiate and oversee steps taken up in Ukhrul, Kamjong, Tengnoupal, Chandel, and Churachandpur districts, which share porous borders with Myanmar, to check influx of illegal migrants, identify any new settlements and capture biometrics to upload on the MHA portal.

Reports indicate that over 12, 000 illegal Myanmarese nationals were staying in Manipur at the time of appointment of the nodal officers.

In an order the government instructed the nodal officers to identify new settlements of illegal migrants and other suspected locations, capture biometrics of the illegal migrants, upload biometric details in the foreigners' identification portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and submit a weekly report to the Government along with photographs and videos.