New Delhi: In a significant development, Delhi Police have detained 1,589 illegal immigrants in the national capital over the past nine months and deported them to Bangladesh, marking one of the largest recent crackdowns in the city. The move reflects a renewed push by law enforcement agencies to address the issue of illegal immigration, which has remained a persistent concern for authorities.
According to reports, officials launched a large-scale operation targeting illegal Bangladeshi nationals between June 2025 and February 2026. During this period, 1,589 individuals were identified and apprehended from different parts of Delhi following verification drives and intelligence-based actions. After due process, the detainees were transported to the Agartala–Bangladesh border, from where they were deported to their home country.
This is not the first such effort in recent times. Earlier, between November 2024 and May 2025, around 720 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were deported from Delhi. The steady rise in deportation numbers indicates a more sustained and coordinated approach by authorities to tackle illegal migration in the national capital.
For decades, India has followed established legal and administrative procedures to deport illegal Bangladeshi entrants as well as Rohingya migrants. However, the process has often proven to be slow and complicated. Legal hurdles, including prolonged court proceedings, frequently delay deportations. Additionally, cooperation issues have posed a major challenge, as Bangladeshi authorities and border forces have at times been reluctant to verify the nationality of detained individuals, further prolonging the process.
The situation has been compounded by continued illegal infiltration through the porous India–Bangladesh border. Smuggling networks, agents, and brokers often facilitate these crossings, making it difficult for authorities to curb the inflow effectively. As a result, deportation efforts have struggled to keep pace with the number of new entrants each year.
For context, estimates from 2016 suggest that more than 20 million Bangladeshi nationals may be living illegally in India, highlighting the scale of the issue. Recent geopolitical developments have further complicated matters. Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina and the reportedly strained relations under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, existing deportation protocols have faced setbacks due to reduced cooperation from Bangladesh.
Faced with these evolving challenges, the Indian government is now believed to be adopting stricter and more direct measures. This includes what is unofficially being referred to as “Operation Push-back,” signalling a shift toward more assertive enforcement in dealing with illegal immigration.
