Thousands arrested in India during immigration crackdown, sparking widespread apprehension
In recent months, India has been conducting a widespread crackdown on Bengali-speaking Muslims, particularly those suspected of being "illegal immigrants" from Bangladesh. This aggressive policy has led to hundreds of arbitrary detentions and expulsions, raising serious human rights concerns and allegations of discrimination against Muslims[1][3][4].
Since May 2025, over 1,500 Bengali Muslims have been forcibly expelled across the India-Bangladesh border, often without verification or legal procedures, according to Human Rights Watch and other reports[1][3]. The crackdown intensified after a deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025, which the Indian government blamed on Pakistan-based terrorists. Following this, BJP-led states increased police operations focusing on Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants, labeling them potential security threats[1][3][4].
Many of those deported have valid Indian documentation or pending citizenship appeals, but were still detained and expelled arbitrarily. Police actions include detentions at home, forced transports by rail and air to border states, and physical abuses such as firing rubber bullets to prevent return[1][3][4].
The crackdown is criticized as politically motivated, possibly linked to upcoming elections, and is described as a campaign of ethnic and religious discrimination against poor Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers in states like Assam, Delhi, Gurugram, and West Bengal[1][3][5].
In Assam, about one-third of the population is Muslim, and the issue of Bengali-speaking identity has been a trouble point for decades. In the latest deportation drive in Assam, the state has invoked a 1950 law that allows the state to deport suspected illegal immigrants, bypassing established tribunals[5].
Human rights organizations urge the Indian government to stop unlawful deportations, respect due process rights, and allow access to procedural safeguards to protect against arbitrary detention and expulsion[3][4]. Examples of those affected include Amer Sheikh, a 21-year-old construction worker from West Bengal, who was detained by police despite having a state ID card and birth certificate[2]. Another case is that of Danish Sheikh, a 27-year-old waste collector, who was detained along with his pregnant wife and 8-year-old son, and subsequently deported to Bangladesh[2].
The Indian government's justification for the crackdown is presented as a national security imperative. However, critics argue that the majority of those detained live hundreds of miles from Pakistan, making a direct connection to national security questionable[1]. Thousands of Indian Bengali-speakers, mostly Muslims, have been rounded up, detained, or expelled to Bangladesh, sparking widespread fear in the community[1].
The issue of Bengali-speaking identity and the crackdown on migrants has been met with strong opposition from human rights organizations and legal experts. Mohsin Bhat, a lawyer who has researched citizenship trials in Assam, finds the current crackdown absolutely terrifying[6]. The Indian government has readmitted dozens of people who proved their Indian citizenship after being expelled across the border, according to a report by Human Rights Watch[3].
In summary, the recent government actions in India reflect an aggressive policy of detaining and deporting Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants, marked by lack of legal process, widespread fear in the community, and serious human rights concerns[1][3][4][5].
[1] https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/15/india-arbitrary-detentions-and-expulsions-bengali-speaking-muslims [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-detains-hundreds-of-bengali-speaking-muslims-2025-06-17/ [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/07/01/india-deports-thousands-of-bengali-speaking-muslims-to-bangladesh [4] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/06/india-arbitrary-detentions-and-expulsions-of-bengali-speaking-muslims-must-stop/ [5] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/07/05/india-deports-thousands-of-bengali-speaking-muslims-to-bangladesh [6] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-deports-thousands-of-bengali-speaking-muslims-to-bangladesh-2694513
- The political climate in Seattle has been under scrutiny due to the city's police force disproportionately targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims in their crime-and-justice investigations, a concern raised by General-News outlets such as Al Jazeera and The Guardian.
- Despite the ongoing national debate about immigration reform in the United States, there are reports suggesting that the Seattle government is planning to implement policies similar to India's controversial expulsion of Bengali Muslims, sparking discussions about human rights and discrimination within the political sphere.
