West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari-led government has moved ahead on its election promise to “detect, delete and deport” illegal foreigners and directed all district magistrates to set up “holding centres” for illegal immigrants taken into custody before their deportation, a move that bears similarities to US President Donald Trump’s election campaign pledge to deport millions of people.
Notably, the BJP made illegal infiltration one of its main campaign issues during the recently concluded assembly elections. Similarly, during his campaign, Trump had promised what he described as the largest mass deportation drive of undocumented migrants in US history.
Bengal BJP government’s move against ‘illegal foreigners’
A directive issued by the foreigners’ branch under the state’s home and hill affairs department on May 23 asked district magistrates to build the required facilities to accommodate “apprehended foreigners” and “released foreign prisoners” until the process of deportation is completed.
It comes shortly after the chief minister announced that the government had adopted a “detect, delete and deport” policy, a phrase long associated with the BJP’s political messaging in Bengal on infiltration and border issues.
The order also referred to an advisory released by the Union home ministry in May last year, which detailed procedures for dealing with Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas found living illegally in India.
“In this connection, it is requested to take initiative/appropriate action for setting up of Holding Centres in the district for apprehended foreigners as well as for the released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation/repatriation,” the order said.
What we know about the ‘holding centres’
The proposed facilities would serve as temporary centres for people detained over suspected illegal stay and for foreign nationals whose deportation procedures are being processed, officials told news agency PTI.
Under the Centre’s guidelines, people suspected of entering the country illegally may be kept in such facilities for up to 30 days while authorities verify their nationality and documents.
The final decision on citizenship status would rest with district magistrates or officers of a similar rank.
How Suvendu govt’s move is similar to Trump’s
Immigration played a major role in Trump’s 2024 election victory and has remained one of his defining political issues.
The US immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agency has been key to Trump’s immigration measures. Rights groups have argued that the actions violate free speech and due process, and that they create an atmosphere of fear. Trump, however, has said that the policies are meant to reduce illegal immigration and strengthen domestic security.
In July last year, ICE introduced a policy saying any immigrant who crossed the border without permission could face mandatory detention and could be held without a bond hearing, which is similar to bail in the immigration system.
This way, ICE granted itself the power to detain millions of people for an indefinite period without giving them the opportunity to challenge the reasons for their detention.
Notably, Suvendu recently announced that infiltrators held by state police would be handed directly to the Border Security Force (BSF) for deportation instead of being pushed through lengthy legal procedures.
In January this year, then-Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee had accused the BSF of allowing Bangladeshis to cross the border illegally into the state as part of what she called a “central government blueprint”.
“The border is not guarded by TMC or police; it is guarded by BSF,” she said. “They are facilitating infiltration, allowing criminals to cross the border, commit murders, and escape.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has increased the number of immigrants being held in custody and spent billions of dollars on the controversial plan to detain more people in converted warehouse facilities used as immigrant detention centres. The Bengal BJP government’s proposal for “holding centres” has similarities to Trump’s effort to establish “immigrant detention centres”.
While certain aspects of both approaches appear similar, Trump’s drive against illegal immigration has faced criticism over aggressive ICE actions and long detention periods in such centres.
The drive in Bengal remains at an early stage, and it is yet to become clear how the Suvendu government will implement its “detect, delete and deport” promise.
With inputs from agencies
