A 73-year-old Sikh woman, Harjit Kaur, who has been a resident of Northern California’s East Bay for over three decades, was taken into custody by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this week, according to a report by Berkeleyside, a non-profit news outlet.
Kaur, who moved to the United States in 1992 as a single mother of two, was reportedly asked to report to the ICE office in San Francisco to submit additional paperwork on Monday. However, she was instead detained and later moved to a facility in Bakersfield, the report said.
Her daughter-in-law, Manji Kaur, told Berkeleyside that Harjit had “faithfully reported” to ICE every six months for more than 13 years. Although her asylum application had been denied in 2012, she was assured by ICE that she could remain in the country under supervision while holding work permits until travel documents were finalised.
ABC7News also reported that Harjit Kaur is undocumented.
Community, Family Stage Protest
Outrage over her detention led to a demonstration organised by her family, Indivisible West Contra Costa County, and the Sikh Centre. Hundreds of community members joined the protest, demanding her immediate release.
Local leaders and political representatives also lent their support. Staff members from US Congressman John Garamendi’s office attended, with the lawmaker confirming to KTVU Fox 2 that his office had filed an inquiry to ICE.
In a statement, Garamendi said: “President (Donald) Trump initially promised to go after the ‘worst of the worst’ in his immigration policy. Yet this administration’s decision to detain a 73-year-old woman — a respected member of the community with no criminal record who has faithfully reported to ICE every six months for more than 13 years — is one more example of the misplaced priorities of Trump’s immigration enforcement.”
He added: “Our office will do everything possible to support her case and her family.”
Concerns Over Health, Well-Being
Local Council member Dilli Bhattarai told Berkeleyside that he was exploring ways the city could pressure federal authorities to secure her release. “She is not doing any harm to the community. She is an abiding [constituent] just like us,” he said. “She has all the rights to be here as a community member and we should all support her immediate release.”
Family members expressed grave concern for her health, citing conditions such as thyroid disease, migraines, knee pain and anxiety. They warned that detention at her age could put her life at risk.
Kaur, a grandmother to five, had worked for more than 20 years at a local Indian clothing store. Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, described her as “independent, selfless, hard-working” and a “mother figure” for the wider community. “We are all just in a state of shock,” she added.
