Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old woman who has lived in California since 1991, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 8, prompting concern and protests from her community. Kaur, who tried to obtain asylum in the U.S. several times, faced multiple denials, the most recent being in 2012. After this last rejection, she was required to check in with immigration authorities every six months, which culminated in her arrest during a routine check-in in San Francisco.
Kaur is a well-known figure in her community, where she has lived with her son and five grandchildren, all U.S. citizens. Her family, including her daughter-in-law Manjit Kaur, expressed distress upon hearing her state during their visit at the detention facility. Manjit reported that Kaur conveyed feelings of despair about her detention, saying she would “rather die than be in this facility.”
U.S. Congressman John Garamendi has requested Kaur’s release, criticizing the detention of a senior citizen with no criminal record after over a decade of compliance with immigration requirements. ICE has defended its actions, stating that Kaur exhausted her legal options and references a 2005 immigration judge’s order for her removal.
Kaur immigrated to the U.S. after her husband’s death, seeking to provide a better life for her sons, who were minors at the time. Her situation reflects broader issues within U.S. immigration policy, particularly the handling of asylum seekers as the country currently faces a backlog of over 3.7 million asylum cases.
Her supporters are advocating for her release, suggesting alternatives like an ankle monitor to allow for continued checking in with immigration while they secure travel documents for her return to India. Concerns have also been raised regarding her treatment in detention, with allegations of denied medical care and inadequate food.
Community members are organizing further protests across various cities, emphasizing Kaur’s deep roots in the community and her family’s readiness for her to return to India if provided with the necessary documentation, which has yet to materialize after a decade.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgq63lgn7zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss