Guwahati |  The Assam Government informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that 1,72,673 illegal foreigners have been identified in the state as of May 31, 2026, while 1,572 persons have been sent back to Bangladesh and 117 expelled since 2025 under various legal provisions.

Replying to an unstarred question raised by MLA Akhil Gogoi, the government stated that the identified foreigners include 61,189 Hindus, 1,11,414 Muslims, and 70 individuals belonging to Christian and other communities.

The figures are based on records maintained by the Home and Political Department and data received from the Office of the State Coordinator of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), including the NRC supplementary list published on August 31, 2019, along with updated records from the Registrar General of India (RGI).

The government said access to NRC-related information is regulated through an Information Security Management System (ISMS) to ensure data protection and security.

According to the information tabled in the Assembly, a total of 1,98,888 persons had been identified as illegal foreigners in Assam up to May 31, 2026. Of these, 1,72,673 names have been incorporated in Annexure-A and shared with the Election Department.

The government stated that whenever such individuals are found in electoral rolls, their names are removed after following due legal procedures.

The Assembly was also informed that 9,678 declared foreigners have already been deported to Bangladesh over the years.

Providing details of recent actions, the government said the process of “sending back” illegal foreigners to Bangladesh is being carried out in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 2, 2025. Separately, expulsions are being undertaken under the provisions of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, following a state government notification issued on October 29, 2025.

Official data revealed that 1,572 illegal foreigners have been sent back to Bangladesh since 2025, including 1,349 during 2025 and 223 up to June 30, 2026. In addition, 117 foreigners have been expelled under the law, comprising 47 cases in 2025 and 70 cases up to June 30, 2026.

On border management, the government informed the House that Assam shares a 263.059-kilometre international border with Bangladesh, of which 228.531 kilometres have already been fenced. The remaining stretches, officials said, are difficult to fence because of riverine terrain, shifting channels and other geographical challenges.

To strengthen surveillance and prevent illegal infiltration, the Border Security Force (BSF) has deployed a range of modern technologies along vulnerable sections of the border. These include the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), thermal imagers, observation posts, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, drones and water-wing patrol units.

Responding to a separate query on the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, the government said the report of the High-Level Committee constituted to recommend safeguards for the Assamese people has already been submitted to the Union Government.

The recommendations are currently under examination by the Centre, while consultations with various stakeholders are continuing before any final decision is taken, the government added.

The disclosures come amid the Assam Government’s continued emphasis on border security, detection of illegal immigration and implementation of provisions related to the Assam Accord, issues that remain central to the state’s political and administrative discourse.