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Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old from Punjab, was deported from US after decades as an undocumented immigrant. She still hopes to reunite with her US-based family.
Harjit Kaur landed in Delhi on September 23. (Image: ANI)
The 73-year-old woman, who was deported to India by US authorities, narrated her ordeal and expressed hope of reuniting with her family. Originally from Punjab, Harjit Kaur had lived in California since 1992 as an undocumented immigrant, raising her two sons and later becoming a grandmother to five US residents.
Kaur had regularly reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) every six months, as required. But on September 8, 2025, during a routine check-in, she was suddenly detained.
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“I marked my attendance every six months. On September 8, when I went to the centre, they made me wait for two hours. Then they asked me to sign a paper. I refused to sign anything without my lawyer. The officials said they have my fingerprints. They informed that they have arrested me, but did not give any reason,” Kaur told NDTV, fighting back tears.
The septuagenarian landed in Delhi on September 23. She is among over 2,400 Indians deported under the US President Donald Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, has alleged that Kaur was denied basic rights during custody. She was not given her essential medications, slept on the floor, was denied a shower, and flown back on a private chartered flight instead of a commercial one. A vegetarian, she was served turkey and ice in place of proper meals, NDTV reported.
“My grandson told me ‘I can’t see you in these clothes,” Kaur said, recalling her trauma.
“I was not provided my medicines. I slept for only four hours. I had no peace,” she told the TV channel, explaining how she was left with swollen feet and body pain. “The day I was arrested, I couldn’t sit the entire night. A girl from Punjab asked me to lie down; I agreed, but I was unable to get up the next morning,” she added.
Kaur’s asylum request had been denied in 2012, but she continued reporting to ICE and even sought Indian travel documents, which were refused.
Recounting her distressing experience, she said, “Their behaviour was very bad.”
#WATCH | Mohali: Harjit Kaur, the elderly woman from Punjab who was deported from the US, says, “Their behaviour was very bad. I was arrested on 8 September… I was arrested and taken to Bakersfield, where I stayed for 8-10 days. I was then taken to Arizona, from where I was… pic.twitter.com/Ggt6IkpQQM— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2025
She revealed that she was arrested on September 8 and taken to Bakersfield, where she was held for 8 to 10 days before being moved to Arizona. From there, she was flown to Delhi.
“My children over there will do something. I cannot do anything,” she told ANI.
Now in India, she says she has no place to go. “I don’t have any place to stay in India. I don’t know if my house still exists. I will go to my village where my brother and sister stay,” she said, still unsure of why she was deported.
Her only wish is to be sent back to her family in the US. “My request is that I be sent back to my family,” she said.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
September 27, 2025, 16:07 IST
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