Harjit Kaur’s ICE arrest stirs Sikh neighborhood

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c615/live/91ac1b80-9477-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Manjit Kaur Harjit Kaur" class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Manjit Kaur Harjit Kaur's age and sudden arrest have generated an outpouring of sympathy and assist

The visiting room of the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Centre in Bakersfield, California, is small, loud, and crowded. When Harjit Kaur's household arrived to see her, they may barely hear her - and the primary phrases they caught shattered them.

"She stated, 'I might relatively die than be on this facility. Could God simply take me now'," recalled her distraught daughter-in-law, Manjit Kaur.

Harjit Kaur, 73, who unsuccessfully utilized for asylum within the US, and has lived in California for greater than three many years, was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on 8 September, sparking shock and sympathy from the Sikh neighborhood throughout the state and past.

Harjit Kaur had filed a number of asylum appeals through the years which have been rejected, with the final denial in 2012, her lawyer stated.

Since then, she had been requested to report back to immigration authorities each six months. She was arrested in San Francisco when she had gone for a check-in.

It comes amid a wider crackdown by the Donald Trump administration on immigration, and particularly alleged unlawful immigrants within the US.

The difficulty is a delicate one - the nation is grappling with the best way to take care of the tons of of hundreds of asylum seekers who arrive at its borders yearly. Greater than 3.7 million asylum circumstances are pending in immigration courts. An elevated price range for immigration enforcement means ICE is now the highest-funded federal legislation enforcement company.

Trump has stated he needs to deport the "worst of the worst", however critics say immigrants with out legal information who observe due course of have additionally been focused.

"Over 70% of individuals arrested by ICE don't have any legal conviction," stated California State Senator Jesse Arreguin in a press release demanding Harjit Kaur's launch. "Now, they're actually going after peaceable grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f06e/live/1b3a9dc0-951a-11f0-af99-d516f2c36cce.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Courtesy Deepak Ahluwalia Harjit Kaur's supporters held a protest in California last week" class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Courtesy Deepak Ahluwalia Harjit Kaur's supporters held a protest in California final week

US Congressman John Garamendi, who represents the Californian district the place Harjit Kaur lives, has submitted a request to ICE for her launch.

"This administration's determination to detain a 73-year-old lady - a revered member of the neighborhood with no legal file who has faithfully reported to ICE each six months for greater than 13 years - is yet one more instance of the misplaced priorities of Trump's immigration enforcement," a spokesperson stated.

In an emailed assertion, ICE informed the BBC that Harjit Kaur had "exhausted many years of due course of" and that an immigration choose had ordered her elimination in 2005.

"Harjit Kaur has filed a number of appeals all the best way as much as the Ninth Circuit Courtroom of appeals and LOST every time. Now that she has exhausted all authorized cures, ICE is implementing US legislation and the orders by the choose; she won't waste any extra US tax {dollars}," it added.

Harjit Kaur got here to the US in 1991 together with her two minor sons after the loss of life of her husband, her lawyer Deepak Ahluwalia informed the BBC. Her daughter-in-law Manjit Kaur stated that the younger widow needed to defend her sons from and escape the political turbulence in India's Punjab state on the time.

Over the subsequent three many years, she labored modest jobs to lift her sons, one in all whom is now a US citizen. Her 5 grandchildren are additionally US residents.

Harjit Kaur, who lives in Hercules metropolis within the San Francisco Bay Space, was working as a seamstress at a sari retailer for the previous 20 years and pays her taxes. Asylum candidates throughout the US are allowed to dwell, work and pay taxes legally as soon as their declare is formally filed and in course of.

Even after her ultimate asylum enchantment was rejected in 2012, her job allow was renewed yearly.

After the rejection, her deportation appeared imminent, however she did not have the correct paperwork to journey to India.

Indian missions within the US concern emergency certificates - a one-way journey doc - to Indians of invalid standing to allow them to return. This could require verifying Harjit Kaur's origin and id in Punjab by images, cross-checking with kinfolk or acquaintances or discovering outdated information, which might take no less than a couple of weeks.

Greater than a decade for the reason that rejection, neither Harjit Kaur nor US immigration officers have been capable of get a journey allow for her. Manjit Kaur stated they visited the Indian consulate in San Francisco in 2013 for this however did not succeed. India's Consul Basic at San Francisco Okay Srikar Reddy informed the BBC they'd no file of Harjit Kaur making use of for journey paperwork to India.

ICE didn't reply to a query about why it didn't get a journey allow prior to now 13 years.

Mr Ahluwalia stated he's following up with the Indian consulate for the paperwork which "ICE was unable to obtain for the final 13 years". The consulate says they're "facilitating all crucial consular help".

Harjit Kaur's household, in the meantime, say she by no means questioned her deportation and mustn't have been detained.

"Present us the journey paperwork and he or she is able to go," Manjit Kaur stated. "She had even packed her suitcases again in 2012."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/88f0/live/e14d5450-9527-11f0-b391-6936825093bd.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="AFP via Getty Images People detained are seen behind fences at the Desert View Annex at the private prison company GEO Group Adelanto ICE Processing Center detention facility in Adelanto, California on July 10, 2025. Donald Trump's promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history has appalled some Americans. " class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> AFP through Getty Photos Harjit Kaur's arrest comes amid a wider crackdown on immigration within the US

Proper now, their fast concern is getting her out of the detention centre.

"You possibly can put an ankle monitor on her. We will verify in with immigration while you need," stated Manjit Kaur. "Simply get her out of the ability and while you present us the journey paperwork, she's going to self-deport to India."

Her lawyer stated that when he met Harjit Kaur on 15 September, she had not been offered together with her common medicine. He alleged that she had been "dragged by guards", "denied a chair or a mattress" and was "compelled to take a seat on the ground" for hours in a holding cell regardless of having undergone double knee alternative.

He additionally alleged that she was "explicitly refused water" and never offered a vegetarian meal for the primary six days.

ICE didn't reply to particular questions on these allegations, however had earlier informed BBC Punjabi that "it's a long-standing coverage that as quickly as somebody comes into ICE custody, they're given full well being care".

Detainees have entry to "medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care" and no-one "is denied important care at any time throughout detention", it added.

Kulvinder Singh Pannu, president of the gurdwara committee at The Sikh Centre in San Francisco Bay Space, says that Bibi Harjit (a respectful solution to check with an aged Punjabi lady) is well-liked within the space.

"She all the time helped folks in our neighborhood with no matter she had financially," he stated.

"A few hundred folks turned up by themselves to protest towards her arrest," he stated, referring to a 12 September agitation exterior the Sikh temple in California.

Because the uncertainty continues, Harjit Kaur's supporters are planning to carry extra protests, together with in different US cities, with many saying they're touched by her plight.

A single mom, Harjit Kaur had shaped deep roots and relationships within the US over the previous 30 years. Her mother and father and siblings in India are not alive, says Mr Ahluwalia.