A total of 28 illegal immigrants were apprehended and expelled from Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday, November 7, in the latest round of the state's ongoing drive against infiltration, The Hindu reported.

Source: The Hindu via Scoop

In a post on X announcing the expulsions, Sarma said the state government would continue its drive against infiltration and would not compromise on Assam's security and identity, The Hindu reported. Nation Press also carried the announcement the same day. The Chief Minister's post did not name the districts where the 28 were apprehended, and no official break-up of the group was released in the reports.

Source: The Hindu via Scoop

28Illegal immigrants apprehended and expelled in the latest action, announced November 7
15Infiltrators expelled in a joint Assam Police-BSF sweep announced on October 28
23More people sent back in an action announced on November 2
1950Year of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, revived by the state with a standard operating procedure

The legal route Assam is using

Assam's recent expulsions have been carried out under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, which the state government revived with a standard operating procedure empowering district commissioners and senior police officers to expel illegal migrants. Sarma has said the pushbacks are coordinated with the Border Security Force along the Bangladesh border, and that declared foreigners who do not challenge tribunal orders in the High Court forfeit their right to stay in the state.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

A drive the Chief Minister says will intensify

Saturday's announcement is the third such expulsion Sarma has publicised in under two weeks, after 15 infiltrators were expelled in a joint Assam Police and BSF operation announced on October 28 and 23 more were sent back on November 2. Sarma has repeatedly said the drive will intensify, arguing that infiltration alters Assam's demography and infringes the rights of its indigenous communities.

Source: Nation Press

The policy is contested in court

The pushback policy itself is under legal challenge. A writ petition filed in the Supreme Court by the All BTC Minority Students Association alleges that the state is pushing genuine citizens to the Bangladesh border without due process under the guise of deporting illegal migrants, while the government maintains it acts only against declared foreigners and follows the directions of the courts, according to reports of the Chief Minister's statements and the petition.

Source: KRC Times