SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The detention of 73-year-old Sikh woman Harjit Kaur by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in California has sparked widespread protests and concern among her family and the local community. The incident occurred during a routine check-in at the San Francisco office, despite Kaur’s long history of compliance with immigration authorities.
Kaur came to the USA from India in 1992 as a single mother with two sons. According to a report by ABC7News, her asylum case was denied in 2012. However, she had since been “faithfully reporting” to ICE every six months for over 13 years. A report in Berkeleyside stated that ICE had previously assured her she could remain in the US under supervision with a work permit.
The Harjit Kaur detained ICE news triggered a large protest on Friday, organized by her family and various community groups. Hundreds of people gathered, including staff from US Rep John Garamendi’s office and other local political leaders, all calling for Kaur’s immediate release. Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, described her as an “independent, selfless, hard-working” woman who served as a “mother figure” to the community. Kaur is currently being held at a detention center in Bakersfield.