‘Bring Grandma Home’: Indian-origin woman, 73, living in US since 33 years, held in ICE raid; kin, community protest
Harjit Kaur, a grandmother, was taken into custody by ICE on September 8 in San Francisco. Photograph: (X)
As per reports, 73-year-old Harjit Kaur repeatedly sought travel documents from the Indian Consulate but was denied, and ICE itself assured her for years that she could remain under supervision until those papers were issued.
An Indian-origin grandmother, 73, who has been living in the United States for 33 years was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what her family thought was a routine check-in and has become the centre of protests in California. Harjit Kaur, a resident of Hercules in California’s East Bay, was taken into custody by ICE on September 8 in San Francisco and transferred to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield the following day. Her family is distraught and in disbelief.
Kaur, who immigrated from India in 1992 as a single mother with two sons, has no criminal record. Her claim for asylum was denied in 2012, after which she remained under ICE supervision. Her family says she was repeatedly told that she could stay in the US until travel documents were arranged by Indian authorities. She had been complying with immigration check-ins every six months for the past 13 years and has been paying taxes.
Protesters wave signs saying ‘Hands Off Our Grandma’ and ‘Bring Grandma Home’
Her sudden detention has triggered anger and calls for her release. Around 200 people gathered in El Sobrante on Friday, waving signs that read “Hands Off Our Grandma”, “Bring Grandma Home” and “She’s no criminal” while passing drivers honked in solidarity. The protest was organised by her family, the Sikh Center, and local advocacy group Indivisible West Contra Costa.
“She’s not a criminal. And she’s not only my grandma. She is everyone’s grandma,” said her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, speaking to Richmondside newspaper. “Everyone looks up to her as a mother figure. She is independent, selfless, and hard-working,” Kaur added.
A representative from Congressman John Garamendi’s office also attended the protest, along with Hercules City Council member Dilli Bhattarai.
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“She is not doing any harm to the community. She is an abiding constituent just like us,” Bhattarai said.
‘ICE has been trying for the past 13 years to get her a travel document’
Kaur worked for over 20 years as a seamstress at a family-owned store in Berkeley. Her daughter-in-law, Manjit Kaur, said Harjit always cooperated with immigration authorities and made multiple efforts to secure travel documents from the Indian Consulate.
“ICE has been trying for the past 13 years to get her a travel document. If ICE can’t get it in 13 years, how are we supposed to get it,” Manjit asked.
The family is concerned about Kaur’s health as she suffers from thyroid issues, chronic knee pain, migraines, and anxiety and claims she is not receiving proper access to medication in detention.
“When we did hear from her, she was crying and begging us for help,” the family said.
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‘Misplaced priorities,’ says Congressman John Garamendi
Congressman Garamendi has criticised the detention as “misplaced priorities” and urged ICE to focus on high-risk individuals rather than elderly residents with long-standing ties to the community.
California Assembly member Alex Lee also voiced support for Kaur, saying she should not be treated this way.
The family has launched a campaign website, bringharjithome.com, urging people to contact elected officials and demand her release.
