Amid President Donald Trump’s strict immigration crackdown, Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother of Indian origin, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California while attending a routine check-in. Kaur has lived in the United States for more than 30 years and has “faithfully reported” to ICE every six months for over 13 years, according to her family. She has no criminal record.

Kaur was detained without warning last Monday at the San Francisco ICE office when she went to submit documents requested by the agency. Fox KTVU reported that the family received no explanation for the detention.

On Friday, a large crowd gathered in El Sobrante to support Kaur, a longtime resident of Hercules. Protesters carried signs reading:

  • “Harjit Kaur belongs here, ICE does not”

  • “Hands off our grandma”

  • “She’s no criminal”

Life and Journey of Harjit Kaur

Kaur moved to the U.S. from India in 1992 as a single mother with two sons. She lived in the Bay Area and worked for more than 20 years as a seamstress at Sari Palace in Berkeley. Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, described her as the epitome of the American dream, saying she was “everyone's grandma”, a “mother figure [to the community who] is independent, selfless, hard-working.”

In 2012, her asylum request was denied, and despite this, she repeatedly sought travel documents from the Indian Consulate, according to her daughter-in-law, Manji Kaur, but was turned down.

Manji Kaur highlighted that her mother-in-law “has faithfully reported” to ICE every six months and always applied for work permits.

“She’s eligible [and] always applied for a work permit. …She pays taxes every year...She's going by the book. She doesn’t even have, from my knowledge, any violations for driving or anything like that.”

Despite complying with all rules, Kaur was detained while returning requested travel documents to the ICE office.

Congressman John Garamendi has extended his support to the family. He said his office has sent an inquiry to ICE requesting Kaur’s release.

“President Trump initially promised to go after the 'worst of the worst' in his immigration policy. Yet this administration's decision to detain a 73-year-old woman -- a respected member of the community with no criminal record who has faithfully reported to ICE every six months for more than 13 years -- is one more example of the misplaced priorities of Trump's immigration enforcement. Our office will do everything possible to support her case and her family,” he said.