Indian woman, 73, deported from US, alleges mistreatment, blames Trump

A 73-year-old Indian woman from Punjab, living in the US since 1992, was allegedly kept locked up in a cold room for a night, cuffed and shackled while being shifted from San Francisco to Bakersfield, denied medications, served beef despite being a vegetarian, before being deported to India.

Blames Trump

The woman, Harjit Kaur, who had been living in the US for three decades, blamed President Donald Trump for her ordeal on Saturday (September 27). According to media reports, Kaur was deported from the US on Thursday.

She held Trump solely responsible for the deportation of a large number 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,” Kaur said.

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Detained on September 8

Her advocate had said that Kaur, who had unsuccessfully applied for asylum in the US, was detained by the immigration authorities in California before being deported to India. She was detained on September 8, after she went for a routine check-in, triggering protests and concerns among her family and community members.

Kaur reached the US in 1992 as a single mother with two sons. Her asylum case was denied in 2012, but since then, she "faithfully reported" to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in San Francisco every six months for more than 13 years, her daughter-in-law Manji said after her deportation.

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Not shown any reason

Speaking to reporters at her sister’s house in Mohali, Kaur, who hails from Pangota village in Tarn Taran district, said that she used to go to the ICE office regularly every six months but was arrested on September 8 without being shown any reason. She further alleged that she was sent back to India without even being given a chance to say goodbye to her family members.

“My family sought permission from the concerned authorities to bring me to India, and even showed a flight ticket. But they did not budge," Kaur said. “I had a work permit, an ID and a licence. I had everything,” she rued.

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‘Was served beef despite being vegetarian’

Kaur broke down in tears when asked how the US immigration authorities treated her. She said that for one night she was locked up inside a cold room and was even unable to lie down adding that she had undergone a double knee replacement surgery.

“I was cuffed and shackled when they took me from San Francisco to Bakersfield,” she said.

Not only was she denied medications despite repeatedly pleading to the US authorities, but she was also unable to eat as she was served beef despite being a vegetarian. “All my pleas fell on deaf ears. I couldn’t even eat the food they gave me because I am a vegetarian. They served beef, which I don’t eat,” she said.

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‘Deported with 132 deportees’

Karur said that she was deported along with 132 deportees on board the plane, including 15 Colombian nationals. However, she thanked “two good officers” who did not cuff her during the flight to India, although the other deportees were cuffed and shackled.

“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,” Kaur said.

Asked if she would like to return to the US, Kaur said, “Definitely. My entire family is out there.”

Following her detention, there were protests in California with demonstrators demanding Kaur’s release with placards reading “Hands off our grandma” and “Bring grandma home.”

(With agency inputs)