CHANDIGARH: The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have detained 73-year-old Harjit Kaur, who moved to the United States 30 years ago from India. Her family says she has no criminal record and had been attending regular immigration check-ins every six months.
On Friday, around 200 people carrying placards reading “Bring Grandma Home” and “Hands Off Our Grandma” gathered at the intersection of Appian Way and San Pablo Dam Road, below the El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara, demanding her release.
On September 8, Kaur, a longtime Hercules resident, was taken into custody by ICE after attending what was supposed to be a routine immigration appointment in San Francisco. Her family claims she was later transferred to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Centre in Bakersfield.
Kaur immigrated to the US in 1992 as a single mother of two sons and had complied with immigration requirements. For the past 13 years, she had been reporting to ICE in San Francisco every six months without fail. In 2012, her asylum claim was denied, after which she remained under ICE supervision.
Hundreds of people protesting her detention said she is “everyone’s grandma”. The demonstration was organised by her family, the Sikh Center, and advocacy group Indivisible West Contra Costa. Passing cars honked in support during the two-hour protest, which was also joined by staff from Congressman John Garamendi’s office and Hercules City Council member Dilli Bhattarai.
Her family has launched a campaign website, bringharjithome.com, urging supporters to contact elected officials, including Garamendi, Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler, and the White House.
Kaur’s granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, told local media that her grandmother “is not a criminal” and that the love and support shown have been a source of strength for their family. The family also raised concerns about her health, as she suffers from thyroid issues, knee pain, migraines, and anxiety.
While addressing the gathering, Manjit Kaur, her daughter-in-law, said she is praying for her mother-in-law’s wellbeing.
State Senator Jesse Arreguín also condemned the detention, writing on X: “Over 70% of people arrested by ICE have no criminal conviction. Now, they are literally going after peaceful grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities. I demand the release of Harjit Kaur.”