East Bay grandmother deported to India says ICE denied her water, bed

Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother from East Bay, was deported to India after 15 days in ICE custody, shocking her family and community. Kaur had lived legally in the U. S. for over three decades, working as a seamstress and regularly attending a local Sikh Gurdwara. Throughout her detention, she endured harsh conditions, including being denied basic hygiene items and vegetarian meals, which violated her religious beliefs.

Her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, highlighted the lack of communication from ICE, stating that Kaur's family was unaware of her whereabouts for over 24 hours. Community members rallied in support of Kaur, emphasizing her long-term contributions and the unjust treatment she received. Despite the family's willingness to comply with the deportation, they requested humane treatment during the process. Kaur's story reflects ongoing concerns about the treatment of immigrants in detention and raises questions about ICE's practices. Ahluwalia plans to file a complaint regarding Kaur's detention conditions, seeking accountability for the agency's actions.