Illegal immigration not only leads to change in demographic pattern, has an averse effect on the security of the country but has also a big drain on employment opportunities and social services ... However, no systematic assessment in this regard is available.

For checking illegal immigration following steps have been taken:

a) Schemes such as Prevention of Infiltration of Foreigners (PIF) in Assam and Meghalaya Mobile Task Force (MTF) in West Bengal and Tripura ... implemented by the concerned States to detect infiltrators.

b) Standing instructions ... to the Border Security Force, State Governments and UT Administrations for detection and deportations of infiltrators.

c) ... Regular review undertaken to monitor the situation on an on-going basis.

(Source: LSSQ No.130/8.12.1998 by M. Sirpordar and Maganti Babu)

On Infiltration

.. Nationals of some neighbouring countries viz. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Tibet region of China, Sri Lanka, etc. Manage to enter illegally into India, but it is difficult to arrive at an exact estimate of the number of such illegal immigrants because they enter surreptitiously and mix with the local population due to their ethnic and linguistic similarities.

Number of Foreign Infiltrators During 1998 (upto November 30)                       On the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh Borders.

Intruders from Bangladesh border are mostly illegal immigrants; intruders from Pakistan and Myanmar border are generally drug smugglers, cross-border criminals, militants and mercenaries.

As per Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, every person born, in India on or after 26.1.1950 but before 1.7.1987 Shall be a citizen of India by birth irrespective of the nationality of the parents. However, a person shall be a citizen of India by birth on or after 1.7.1987 only if either

his parents is a citizen of India at the time of his birth. Accordingly, the status of these illegal immigrants and their children born after 1.7.1987 is that of illegal aliens.