New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that Harjit Kaur, a Sikh woman recently deported from the United States, was not handcuffed during her removal but had been subjected to maltreatment while in US detention.
Responding to questions from Members of Parliament, Jaishankar cited Kaur’s legal counsel, who confirmed that “thankfully they didn’t cuff her,” noting that although one officer initially intended to do so, another officer intervened, taking her age into account. Indian immigration authorities verified upon her arrival that she had not been handcuffed.
“Whenever a flight carrying deportees lands—whether chartered or commercial—our officials interview every individual. In this case, they confirmed she was not cuffed,” Jaishankar said.
India raises concerns with US authorities
However, the minister acknowledged that Kaur experienced mistreatment during her detention in the United States. “While Mrs. Harjit Kaur was not handcuffed, she was maltreated in detention before being put on the flight. On September 26, we officially took up the matter with the American Embassy through a note verbale, expressing our strong concern over the manner of her treatment,” he added.
Harjit Kaur had moved to California in 1992 with her two young sons, settling in Hercules, a quiet suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over decades, she worked at a local saree store, raised her children, and enjoyed time with her grandchildren, establishing a life deeply rooted in the US.
Sudden end to decades-long US life
Her long-standing life in America came to an abrupt halt in September when she was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a routine reporting at their San Francisco office. Authorities cited a 2005 immigration court order rejecting her asylum plea, stating that she had “exhausted decades of due process.”
Kaur was flown back to India on September 22 and is now in Mohali, staying temporarily with a distant brother-in-law. With her husband, parents, and elder brothers deceased, she faces the challenge of rebuilding her life in the country she left more than three decades ago.
The case has drawn attention to the treatment of long-term Indian residents facing deportation from the US, highlighting concerns over both procedural and humanitarian aspects of immigration enforcement.
