Fate of illegal immigrants, perils of ‘dunki routes’, deportation waves, tightening of immigration laws, and the crackdown on travel agents strategizing illegal immigration are, of-course, all over the social media as well as hogging mainstream media headlines. Just as bothersome is the yet unclear intent of other nations all over the world who may adopt a stiffer stance on not just illegal border crossings but also merge the refugee inflows.
India believes that illegal immigration deserves a tough stance. Their immediate action after debriefing of deportees is to plan a massive hunt for all those travel agents facilitating this menace. Newspaper reports are overflowing with horror stories of unscrupulous agents encouraging this disease of illegal immigration by presenting a tempting picture of their future in a foreign land. These dumb fools sell or mortgage all their assets, borrow money at unheard of interest rates, put the rest of their family in a fiscal lurch and set off to live a life facing rejection in an atmosphere of scorn. Strangely, a Forbes article reflected concerns from economists regarding mass deportations, noting, ‘Economists believe deporting millions of unauthorized immigrants would harm U.S. workers and the American economy.’ Will these economists promise these unauthorized immigrants a life of dignity and social acceptance? If they cannot, I would prefer calling them glorified priests of hollow theories.
There are other economists who believe that mass deportation policies may have significant social, economic, and legal implications. This simply means that if deportation is not to be the humane way of dealing with this issue, it is time to begin thinking of newer ways or alternative solutions to address illegal immigration. As I have already mentioned, India has begun a nationwide search for one of the sources of illegal immigration – the unscrupulous travel consultant.
The other sources will necessarily include factors like improving education and job aspects, spreading awareness about corrupt practices. The government can also initiate the opening-up of a state-controlled department to inform, interview, and hire people for jobs in other countries that need only basic literacy skills. Even travel agents can be empaneled and encouraged to share lists of applicants and route them legally through some such department. I am sure there will be many more suggestions to deal with human aspirations than to sit passively and watch planeloads of illegals arrive shackled and heckled. Human distress, like human crime, must not be tolerated.
Addressing this menace of illegal immigration is what the world needs. As already mentioned in this post, stringent regulation and enforcement is essential. Travel agents must function within legal frameworks or be penalized. Public awareness campaigns mean educating potential migrants about the dangers of illegal routes and the reasons why they must adhere to legal immigration policies. International collaborations can lead to enhanced intelligence sharing and coordinated efforts to dismantle human smuggling networks. And yes, the economic opportunities at home must be powerful enough to dissuade this race from moving elsewhere.
Matters of illegal immigration are not limited to any one country. India has its own share of being host to millions of those who exist here without legal documents. While we are still thinking about all this, the UK has already introduced strict immigration laws and deportation policies, targeting individuals who overstay their visas or enter the country unlawfully. Many EU countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, have been deporting illegal migrants, especially those whose asylum applications have been rejected. Australia follows a strict deportation policy, particularly for individuals who fail to meet visa requirements or pose security risks. Even Canada that has a welcoming immigration policy, has deported thousands of individuals who do not qualify for refugee status or who enter illegally.
We have had a fair share of undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal and a certain degree of identification of such individuals and then having them deported has happened. The government has been vociferous about this issue, particularly the Rohingya refugees and Bangladesh nationals. Such undocumented presence can be a security risk and, of-course, an economic strain.
Crackdowns on illegal immigration are acceptable. However, governments cannot and must not overlook humanitarian concerns, diplomatic relations, and international laws. It is all a balancing act – between national security, ethical issues, and international relations.
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Arvind Passey
Written on 15 February 2025
