US EditionWoman, 73, deported by ICE to India after three decades in US
- Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old woman who had lived in the East Bay area for over three decades, was taken into ICE custody following a routine check-in on September 8 and subsequently deported to India on September 22 after a 15-day detention period.
- Kaur arrived in the U.S. in 1991, raising her child alone, and resided legally for over 30 years without any criminal offenses; however, her application for asylum was rejected and she was unsuccessful in multiple appeals, including at the Ninth Circuit.
- During detention, Kaur faced harsh conditions including refusal of vegetarian meals aligned with her Sikh faith, delayed medicine, no hygiene supplies or bed, and was shackled while moved from Bakersfield to Los Angeles then Georgia.
- On September 12, approximately 200 supporters gathered close to the El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara to call for her freedom, affectionately referring to her as "everyone's grandma," while ICE maintained it was upholding the law and justified the deportation.
- Kaur's case highlights thousands detained by ICE this year—58,766 as of September 7—with 70.8% lacking criminal convictions, prompting community advocacy and legal complaints over detention practices.
30 Articles
30 Articles
‘Served beef, cuffed and shackled’: 73-year-old Punjab woman deported from US recounts harrowing details
Despite paying her taxes and diligently marking her attendance to ICE authorities every six months, 73-year-old Harjit Kaur said she was detained by immigration authorities in California after she went for a routine check
A 73-year-old woman was arrested by the U.S. Immigration Department at the beginning of September. She has lived in California since 1991. She has now been deported to India.
A 73-year-old grandmother who has spent more than three decades living in the United States has been deported to India. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials arrested Harjit Kaur, who had unsuccessfully applied for asylum in the US. The incident has sent shockwaves through the Sikh community, as she has lived in the US for 30 years. She had moved to California in 1991 with her two young sons to escape political unrest in Punjab,…
Bibi Harjit Kaur entered the United States years ago on an asylum application for religious persecution
East Bay grandmother deported to India says ICE denied her water, bed
East Bay grandmother deported to India says ICE denied her water, bed Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old with no criminal record, said she was only given ice to take her medications and was denied meals in accordance with her religious beliefs.
Harjeet Kaur, a 73-year-old Sikh woman who had lived in the US for 33 years, was allegedly deprived of food, medicine, and basic amenities while in detention. Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, said she was made to sleep on the floor without a bed for 60-70 hours, and when she asked for medicine, she was given a plate of ice.
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