Mass migration to the North-East gave rise to a particular type of problem that created a crisis for ‘local’ communities to be viewed as outsiders or migrants. These latecomers either from India or from abroad, encroach scarce resources such as land and potential competitors, are seen as employment opportunities and political power. The issue has taken a political and sometimes violent form in many states of the Northeast.

The Assam movement from 1979 to 1985 is the best example of such movements against 'outsiders'. Assamese suspected that there are a large number of illegal Bengali Muslims from Bangladesh. He felt that till these foreign nationals would not be traced and deported, they would not put indigenous Assamese in a minority. There were other economic issues. Assam had widespread poverty and unemployment despite the existence of natural resources such as oil, tea and coal. It was felt that people were of no avail.

In 1979, the All Assam Students Union (AASU), a group of students not associated with any party, led an anti-foreign movement. The movement was against illegal migrants, against the domination of Bengalis and other outsiders, and against faulty voter registrations in the names of millions of voters. The movement demanded that all outsiders entering the state after 1951 should be deported. The movement followed many novel methods and united all sections of the Assamese people, gaining support across the state. It also included many tragic and violent incidents that led to the loss of property and human life. This movement tried to stop the movement of trains in Bihar and the supply of oil from Assam.