No one should face what I did, says 73-year-old woman after US deportation

Harjit Kaur was deported to India after being detained by immigration authorities in California on September 8 during a routine check-in

A 73-year-old woman who was recently deported from the United States after living there for more than 30 years said on Saturday that “no one should go through the ordeal” she faced. She also expressed her wish to be reunited with her family in America, PTI reported.

 

Detained during routine check-in

 

Harjit Kaur, originally from Pangota village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, was deported to India after being detained by immigration authorities in California on September 8 during a routine check-in, her lawyer said. The detention triggered protests by family members and members of the community.

 

She had entered the US in 1992 as a single mother with two sons. Her asylum plea was denied in 2012, but she continued to “faithfully report” to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in San Francisco every six months for more than 13 years, her daughter-in-law Manji said.

 

 

“Arrested without warning”

 

Speaking at her sister’s home in Mohali, Kaur said, “I used to go there (ICE office) to mark my presence every six months. On September 8, I went there to mark my presence, but they arrested me without specifying anything.”

 

She added that she was deported without being given a chance to say goodbye to her close family. “My family sought permission from the concerned authorities to bring me to India, and even showed a flight ticket. But they did not budge,” she said.

 

Claims of mistreatment in detention

 

Kaur recounted the conditions of her detention. “They took my photograph and kept me in the room for the entire night. It was cold, and I couldn't even lie down,” said Kaur, who has undergone double knee replacement surgery.

 

“I was cuffed and shackled when they took me from San Francisco to Bakersfield,” she said. Asked if she was given medicines, she replied, “All my pleas fell on deaf ears.”

 

On the food served, she said, “I couldn't even eat the food they gave because I am a vegetarian. They served beef, which I don't eat.”

 

Deported with others

 

According to Kaur, she was deported along with 132 others, including 15 Colombian nationals. “No. There were two good officers on board who did not cuff me, although the other deportees were cuffed and shackled,” she said when asked if she was restrained on the plane.

 

Family in the US

 

Kaur said her entire family, including her children and grandchildren, live in the US. “My entire family is settled in the US, including my children, granddaughters and grandsons. When I hear their voice, I cannot speak a word. I looked after them,” she said.

 

When asked if she wanted to return, she said, “Definitely. My entire family is out there.”

 

Blames Trump administration

 

Kaur also blamed the US administration for the large-scale deportation of Indians in recent months. “I have been in the US since 1992, but I never saw any such action by the authorities. Nobody was asked to go back,” she said, holding former US President Donald Trump “solely responsible.”

 

Protests in California

 

Following her detention, demonstrations were held in California with protesters carrying placards that read “Hands off our grandma” and “Bring grandma home.”