Highlights:
- 73-year-old Harjit Kaur detained after routine ICE check-in in San Francisco
- Immigrated in 1992, single mother of two, no criminal record
- Protesters rally with “Bring Grandma Home” placards near El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara
- Family launches bringharjithome.com campaign, urges officials’ intervention
- Lawmakers and community leaders condemn detention, demand compassionate release
A wave of protest has swept through California’s East Bay after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old Indian-origin grandmother, during what was meant to be a routine check-in after 33 years of residence in the United States. Kaur’s family, neighbors, and local officials have united to demand her immediate release, citing her clean record and deep community ties.
Decades of compliance, sudden detention
Harjit Kaur immigrated to the US from India in 1992 as a single mother raising two sons. She settled in Hercules, California, and worked for over 20 years as a seamstress at a family-run shop in Berkeley. Despite her asylum claim being denied in 2012, Kaur remained under ICE supervision, attending mandatory check-ins every six months for the past 13 years. On September 8, she attended her regular appointment at the ICE office in San Francisco to submit requested paperwork, where she was unexpectedly detained and later transferred to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield.
Her family was given no warning about the detention; granddaughter Sukhdeep Kaur told local media, “She’s not a criminal. And she’s not only my grandma. She is everyone’s grandma. Everyone looks up to her as a mother figure… she is independent, selfless, hard-working.”
Community rallies, health fears mount
On Friday (12), around 200 protesters, including Sikh Center leaders, Indivisible West Contra Costa, and concerned residents, gathered near the El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara holding placards reading “Hands Off Our Grandma” and “Bring Grandma Home.” Honking cars added support as the demonstration pressed for her release. Elected officials, including Congressman John Garamendi and Hercules City Council member Dilli Bhattarai, joined the cause, with Garamendi’s office formally inquiring with ICE and pledging to support the family.
Kaur’s family is especially worried about her health; she suffers from thyroid disease, chronic knee pain, migraines, and anxiety. “When we did hear from her, she was crying and begging us for help,” her family told ABC7 News, raising concerns about her lack of access to medication in detention.
Political leaders criticize ICE priorities
Rep. John Garamendi condemned the detention, stating: “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.” California Assembly member Alex Lee also called for her fair treatment, adding that Harjit “is doing it the right way.”
Her daughter-in-law Manjit said, “She has never resisted deportation,” explaining that for years, the family and Harjit Kaur had sought travel documents from the Indian consulate, but ICE had assured them she could remain under supervision until such papers were obtained.
Family, community hope for release
For the family, uncertainty and distress grow as Kaur remains detained. Supporters have launched bringharjithome.com and are urging outreach to elected officials for her cause. “We are all just in a state of shock,” her granddaughter said, hopeful that solidarity and community action will help bring their beloved grandmother home.
