The Election Commission of India has published the final voters list for Assam after a Special Revision, deleting over 2.43 lakh names from the draft roll. The final roll comprises nearly 2.49 crore voters, a decrease of 0.97 per cent from the draft roll.
The Indian government reveals that the United States has deported over 18,000 Indian nationals since 2009, with a focus on human trafficking investigations and concerns over the treatment of deportees.
Whichever combination finally emerges, Malegaon could set a record for being a town run neither by Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti, nor by the Opposition MVA, but by a combination of two or three Muslim parties.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk voices strong support for the H1B visa program, highlighting the immense benefit the US has derived from Indian talent and cautioning against shutting it down.
Ahmedabad civic authorities launched a massive demolition drive on Tuesday, razing over 2,000 illegally constructed houses and properties in the Chandola Lake area. The operation, which involved around 50 teams equipped with earthmovers and 2,000 police personnel, was carried out days after illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained from these settlements. The Gujarat High Court declined to stay the action, observing that the dwellings were situated on the periphery of the water body and therefore subject to demolition under the Land Revenue Code. Authorities also demolished the illegal farmhouse of Lalu Pathan, alleged mastermind behind the encroachments, who is suspected to have helped illegal immigrants obtain rental accommodation and Aadhaar cards.
The Supreme Court has warned that it will set aside the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar if any illegality is found. The court is reviewing the validity of the Bihar SIR and its potential impact on a similar exercise across India.
An Indian-American widow will have to forfeit her 34-room mansion in New YorkState after she lost her appeal to overturn a 2013 conviction for harbouring an illegal immigrant from Kerala for over five years and subjecting her to slave-like conditions.
The Trump administration is looking at plans to strip some naturalised Americans of their citizenship, the latest in a series of efforts undertaken by President Donald Trump to crack down on immigration.
The Trump administration has expanded its travel ban and restrictions to 20 additional nations as well as the Palestinian Authority, citing national security concerns.
In a question-answer session lasting two-and-a-half hours, Bhagwat responded to questions ranging from Manusmriti to AI, tariffs to caste, education, patriotism, national language, Partition, illegal immigration, attacks on Muslims, and the age of retirement for politicians.
The Trump administration said it will conduct a "rigorous" re-examination of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from "every country of concern".
During his inauguration on Monday, President Trump declared a national emergency at the US southern border.
The central government was aware of illegal immigration in Mizoram and would take measures to check it, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said on Monday.
Punjab Police conducted raids and search operations at 1,274 immigration firms across the state to protect aspiring immigrants from falling prey to unscrupulous travel agents. The massive operation, carried out on the directions of Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, was a response to the recent deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US. Many of the deportees from Punjab and Haryana have alleged they were duped by travel agents who promised legal entry to the US but instead used the "donkey route" - an illegal and risky pathway. Police have registered 24 FIRs against travel agents and arrested seven. The operation was conducted under the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012, which mandates travel agents to obtain a license, maintain records, and comply with other regulations. The police advised citizens to verify travel agents' credentials before entrusting them with documents and money.
Blaming large-scale immigration from Bangladesh for the clashes in lower Assam, Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Tuesday said the government's "inaction" in dealing with the problem of infiltrators has resulted in indigenous communities feeling threatened.
US President Donald Trump has condemned the murder of an Indian-origin motel manager in Dallas, allegedly by an undocumented Cuban immigrant, blaming the Biden administration's immigration policies.
Meanwhile, Trump said Cambodia and Thailand have started fighting again and "tomorrow", he will make a phone call to those countries.
Nineteen United States states have sued the Trump administration over its 'unlawful' decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, warning that the move will worsen labour shortages in key sectors such as health care, education and technology.
In what is seen as a U-turn, US President Donald Trump appeared to defend the H-1B visa programme to bring talent from across the world, saying a foreign investor cannot pull people off an unemployment line, who haven't worked in five years, and start making missiles.
Indian professionals, including technology workers and physicians, are among the largest cohort of H-1B visa holders.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a complex network of agents and facilitators in India, Canada, and the US who assist Indians in illegally entering the US through fraudulent admissions to Canadian colleges. Over 8,500 financial transactions are under scrutiny by the ED in a case related to money laundering, stemming from a 2023 Gujarat Police crime branch FIR. The investigation includes international financial companies involved in remittances abroad, with the ED conducting 35 searches in the past year and seizing assets worth Rs 92 lakh. The issue has gained significant attention following the deportation of 104 Indians from the US on Wednesday. The investigation is linked to the tragic death of an Indian family in January 2022, who perished while attempting to cross the Canada-US border illegally. The ED has identified a network of agents and facilitators who manage and facilitate the stay, transportation, visa arrangements, and legal matters of illegal immigrants who gained admission to Canadian colleges through fraudulent means. The investigation has revealed that the fees paid to Canadian colleges were remitted back to individuals' accounts, with around 8,500 transactions identified between September 2021 and August 2024. The ED suspects that approximately 370 individuals have entered the US using this illegal immigration scheme. The agency has recorded statements from parents and guardians of students enrolled in Canadian colleges and continues its investigation.
Delhi Police have identified 175 people as suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants during a 12-hour verification drive in outer Delhi. The drive, which began on Saturday, is part of a broader initiative to identify and repatriate individuals living in the national capital without valid legal documents. The police are conducting door-to-door checks and scrutinizing documents to authenticate identities. They are also coordinating with local police in Bangladesh to verify information. The verification drives follow a directive from the Delhi LG Secretariat to launch a two-month special drive to identify and take strict action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in the city.
Lord Curzon Ki Haveli lacks the wit and the wickedness to go anywhere with the mildly intriguing setup, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The final NRC, a list of Indian citizens residing in Assam, was released in 2019 by excluding 19,06,657 people. However, it has not been notified by the Registrar General of India, leaving the controversial document without any official validity.
'If companies want to hire foreign workers instead of Americans, my bill will hit them where it hurts: Their pocketbooks.'
The United States will deport 119 Indian nationals who were living in the country illegally. The individuals will arrive in Amritsar, India, on Saturday, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted the need to combat human trafficking. This deportation follows the arrival of a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal immigrants earlier this month. Prime Minister Modi and President Donald Trump discussed the issue of illegal immigration during their joint press conference, emphasizing the need to dismantle the "ecosystem" of human trafficking. Modi emphasized India's willingness to take back its citizens residing illegally in the US, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that the issue of illegal immigration was raised during the discussions, stressing the need to address the root causes of the problem. India seeks cooperation from the US to dismantle the rackets and ecosystems that facilitate illegal immigration, potentially involving collaboration between law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Costa Rica has agreed to serve as a "bridge" to repatriate illegal immigrants in the United States, including from India and Central Asia, according to an official release on Tuesday.
A US Homeland Security official says America will continue using the H-1B visa programme, emphasizing integrity and vetting, while highlighting increased naturalization rates under the Trump administration.
China refutes allegations of harassment of an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh at Shanghai airport, claiming actions were lawful and reiterating its claim over the region.
During the course of investigations, it was revealed that these immigrants had entered India illegally by crossing the border near Rajshahi, a Bangladesh border town, and Boghkalam in West Bengal's Mursheedabad. Some of them have been staying in Hyderabad for several years while the rest of them came recently. Some of the illegal immigrants even obtained passports, ration cards, voter identity cards and PAN cards by furnishing false documents.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Bihar to review preparations for the upcoming assembly elections. The visit includes meetings with political parties, police, administrative officials, and state leaders to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. The visit follows the publication of the final electoral roll after a Special Intensive Revision, which has sparked controversy among political parties.
India has expressed concern to the US authorities over the treatment of deportees on a flight that landed on February 5, particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also registered its concerns regarding the need to accommodate the religious sensitivities and food preferences of the deportees. The US side has confirmed that no women or children were restrained on the deportation flights that landed in India on 15th and 16th February, 2025.
According to the minister, the government continues to be engaged with the US to promote mutually advantageous and secure mobility frameworks for streamlining the movement of students and professionals and facilitating short-term tourist and business travel.
A US plane carrying 119 illegal Indian immigrants is expected to land at Amritsar airport on February 15, the second such batch of Indians deported by the Trump administration as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. The plane is expected to land around 10 pm on Saturday. The 119 deportees include 67 from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Another US plane carrying deportees is also expected to land on February 16. This development comes days after a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Amritsar airport last week. Most of the deportees hailing from Punjab said they wanted to migrate to the US for a better life for their families. However, their dreams were shattered when they were caught at the US border and brought back in shackles. The Trump administration has launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants since taking office, leading to the deportation of many people who entered the US through illegal means. Several political leaders in Punjab have questioned the landing of US aircraft in Amritsar, with Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleging that the BJP-led Central government wants to defame Punjab. The Punjab government has formed a special investigation team to probe the issue of illegal human trafficking following the deportation of Indian citizens domiciled in Punjab from the US. The SIT has so far registered 10 FIRs against fraudulent immigration consultants based on statements from deportees.
The United States has deported a group of Indian migrants on a military transport aircraft, marking the first such deportation to India as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The US embassy in New Delhi confirmed that Washington is tightening immigration laws and removing illegal migrants. The deportation comes as India and the US are finalizing details for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington in February. India has indicated its willingness to work with the US on addressing illegal immigration, and has said it will take back all Indians who have overstayed or are in the US without documentation.
'The flight did not land in Gujarat because the 'Gujarat model' would then get exposed.'
'Non-compatible with Western Civilization' is about as vague and jingoistic as it gets and Trump saying this gives full license to his acolytes to go full throttle on making life as difficult and scary as possible for as many non-white people as possible,' notes Sree Sreenivasan.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is verifying details of deportation flights to Panama and Costa Rica, which were undertaken as part of a bridge arrangement between the US and the respective governments. The MEA spokesperson said that India is in touch with the local authorities in Panama and Costa Rica to ensure the return of any Indian nationals who may have been deported.
A batch of 35 Indians deported from the US included people from Kaithal, Karnal, and Kurukshetra districts in Haryana. They recounted their experiences and the financial burdens they faced trying to immigrate to the US.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claims that 'Miyas' vote unitedly, leading to their political advancement, while the votes of 'our people' are scattered. He also asserted the need to maintain pressure on illegal settlers in Lower Assam.
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