Illegal migration a big concern but shouldn’t be communalised

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has raised an important issue by pointing out that demographic changes in India’s border areas can have serious implications for national security. Speaking at a meeting with district magistrates of border districts in New Delhi, he underscored the possibility that such demographic shifts could be part of a “deliberate design.” As a corrective step, he urged officials to ensure that all illegal encroachments within a nearly 30-kilometre radius from the borders are removed.

His comments are certain to elicit predictable responses across the political spectrum: those aligned with Right-of-centre views will support the statement wholeheartedly, while Left-liberal voices are likely to dismiss it as alarmist or politically motivated. Yet, as with many issues that touch both politics and security, the reality often lies somewhere between the two extremes.

Illegal immigration is a universally recognised challenge. It is not confined to India’s borders but is an issue faced by many countries, developed and developing alike. The United States, for instance, has seen illegal immigration emerge as a central theme in its domestic politics. In fact, it was one of the pivotal factors behind Donald Trump’s electoral victories, as he capitalised on public unease with open borders.

Similarly, European nations have also experienced political upheaval on account of illegal migration from Africa and the Middle East. Against this backdrop, Shah’s call for stronger vigilance and corrective measures in India cannot be seen as unusual or objectionable. It is, in fact, a natural response to a problem every sovereign nation faces.

In India’s case, however, the issue carries additional complexity. Unlike the United States or European Union countries, India’s borders are long, porous, and often difficult to secure due to geography, terrain, and local livelihood patterns. The India-Bangladesh border, in particular, has for decades been a conduit for large-scale migration—both legal and illegal.

Economic distress, population pressures, and political factors in Bangladesh have historically driven people to cross into Indian states such as Assam, West Bengal, and Tripura. Over time, this has created a delicate situation where questions of identity, resources, and rights are deeply entangled with migration patterns.

It is also true that the religious dimension cannot be overlooked. The overwhelming majority of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are Muslims. For many, the influx is not merely a question of resources or administrative strain but one of cultural and demographic balance. This has led some political formations to portray the matter almost exclusively through a Hindu-Muslim lens, thereby inflaming passions and making consensus difficult. However, while acknowledging the religious angle is important, reducing the entire issue to a Hindu-Muslim binary would be unwise and counterproductive. Migration is at its core an economic and political phenomenon, even if it carries religious overtones in India’s context.

The challenge for policymakers, therefore, is to strike the right balance. On the one hand, India cannot afford to be lax about illegal immigration. Unchecked demographic changes in sensitive border areas could indeed create vulnerabilities, ranging from social tensions to potential threats to national security.

On the other hand, the state must guard against reducing the entire matter into a communal fault line, which could deepen internal divisions and weaken the broader social fabric. The focus has to remain on legality, sovereignty, and security rather than on religious identity.