Suvendu Govt orders ‘holding centres’ for illegal ‘foreigners’ in West Bengal ::: In therun up to Deportation drive

West Bengal govt orders ‘holding centres’ for illegal ‘foreigners’ ahead of deportation drive  

The state government has ordered all district administrations to set up ‘holding centres’ for apprehended foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation.

In a letter issued on Saturday, by the Home and Hill affairs department to district magistrates, officials were asked to initiate the process in line with Union home ministry guidelines concerning the deportation of “Bangladeshi/Rohingyas apprehended for staying illegally in this country”.

Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had said on Wednesday that the state government would implement Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) laws relating to illegal immigration and infiltration under the policy of 'detect, delete, deport'. 

“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 in accordance with the MHA guideline under reference.," the order said.  “The Indian government had sent an order on May 14, 2025, asking the Bengal government to identify Bangladeshi immigrants and hand them over to the BSF for deportation. But the previous government did not act,” Suvendu said at Nabanna on Wednesday.

An official said the move was aimed at streamlining the process of detention and repatriation in accordance with guidelines from New Delhi. 

The districts have been asked to create the required infrastructure so that foreigners awaiting deportation can be housed in a regulated manner till the legal formalities are completed. The order is procedural in nature and meant to ensure that district administrations remain prepared to handle such cases as per prescribed norms. According to state government, individuals eligible under the CAA who entered the state before December 31, 2024, could be granted legal citizenship status.

Non-Muslim immigrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians — can apply for citizenship under the CAA if they have arrived from Bangladesh, Pakistan or Afghanistan before December 31, 2024.