Immigration bill 2025 clears lok sabha

The Lok Sabha just passed The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 today, March 27, after a fiery three-hour debate, with Home Minister Amit Shah steering it through. This law’s a big swing at modernizing India’s immigration rules, folding four old acts—like the creaky Passport Act of 1920—into one tight package. It’s about knowing who’s crossing our borders, Shah said, promising a close eye on every visitor’s why and how long—tourists, students, and business folks are welcome, but troublemakers get the boot.

The bill’s got teeth—use a fake passport or visa, and you’re looking at up to seven years in jail plus a Rs 10 lakh fine. Hotels, schools, even hospitals now have to report foreigners to track overstays, while airlines and ships must cough up passenger details early. Shah called it a security lock and an economic lift—healthcare, education, and trade should bloom, he figures, but illegal migrants like Rohingyas and Bangladeshis sneaking in are the real target. The opposition pushed for a joint panel review, but that got brushed off.

This isn’t just paperwork—it’s India drawing a line. Shah took a jab at West Bengal’s government, accusing them of handing out Aadhaar cards to infiltrators and stalling border fencing—450 km still undone, he claimed. The bill scraps the old patchwork of laws from 1939, 1946, and 2000, aiming for a system that’s sharp and current. It’s a bold move to balance open doors with a steel grip, and the nation’s watching how it plays out.