In a gut-wrenching tale of bureaucratic cruelty, a 73-year-old Sikh grandmother who called the Bay Area home for three decades was ruthlessly ripped away from her community and deported to India. Harjit Kaur, a hardworking seamstress at Berkeley Sari Palace, found herself caught in the merciless machinery of ICE, experiencing conditions that can only be described as inhumane.

A Lifetime of Survival, Erased Overnight

Kaur’s story is a stark reminder of how broken our immigration system truly is. After arriving in the U.S. in 1991 following her husband’s death, she sought asylum from potential persecution in India. For over 30 years, she worked, paid taxes, and became an integral part of her community - only to be treated like a disposable human being.

Detention: A Nightmare of Systemic Neglect

During her detention, Kaur endured shocking treatment that would break most people’s spirits. She was denied water for her medications, forced to sleep on hard floors with recent knee surgery, and served meat despite being a strict vegetarian. Her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, called her detention “barbaric” - and he’s not wrong.

A Community Left Heartbroken

Kaur’s family released a powerful statement highlighting the injustice: “Her detention is not only cruel but unnecessary”. And they’re absolutely right. This isn’t just an immigration issue - it’s a human rights issue that exposes the cold, callous heart of our current system.