After living in America for more than 33 years, Harjeet Kaur, a 73-year-old woman of Sikh faith, was suddenly deported. Kaur, who was detained during a standard immigration check in California, did not have the chance to bid farewell to her family. According to her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, the case of Harjeet Kaur highlights the rigidity of the American immigration system and the precariousness faced by immigrants.
In 1992, Kaur came to the US as a single mother with her two sons. She resided in the East Bay area of California for many years and worked in an Indian clothing store. Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, praised her as a hardworking and selfless woman who was a maternal figure to many in the community.
Kaur had been seeking asylum since 2012, although her application was denied. She continued to report to the immigration office in San Francisco every six months and was given the assurance that she could remain in the US while her travel documents were being processed. However, during a routine inspection, ICE officials unexpectedly detained her and moved her from Bakersfield to Los Angeles, then to Georgia, and eventually to Delhi. The family reports they received no prior warning and were unable to say their final goodbyes.