73-year-old Harjit Kaur from Punjab, living in the US for over 30 years, was handcuffed and deported without clear explanation. She recalls her ordeal, detention struggles, and desire to reunite with her grandchildren. Read full story on The Chandigarh News.
Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother from Punjab, was deported from the United States after over 30 years of residence. Despite paying taxes and regularly reporting to immigration authorities, she was suddenly detained, denied basic facilities, and sent back to India. With her family still in California, she now struggles to find shelter in India while yearning to reunite with her grandchildren.
A Life Shattered After Three Decades in America
For Harjit Kaur, life in the United States was never easy, but it was home. She moved to California in 1992 after her husband’s death, raising her two sons as a single mother. Over the years, she built her life around her children and later her five grandchildren, all US residents.
But in September 2025, her world turned upside down. The 73-year-old was suddenly detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), handcuffed, and deported to India after decades of reporting to authorities every six months.
“I have been going there for years to mark my attendance. I worked, I paid taxes, I followed the rules. I still don’t know why they deported me this time,” Harjit Kaur told The Chandigarh News, breaking down in tears.
Shackled and Left Without Medicine
Her detention was harsh and unexpected. Harjit Kaur recalled being called into the ICE office on September 8, made to wait for hours, and then asked to sign papers she did not understand. When she refused without her lawyer present, she was told she was under arrest.
“They put me in handcuffs. I was not given my medicines. I slept only four hours in days. My feet swelled, my body hurt, and I had no peace,” she said.
Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, alleged she was denied even basic facilities at the detention center. She slept on the floor, was not allowed a shower, and was flown to India on a small chartered aircraft instead of a commercial flight.
For a strict vegetarian, food became another struggle. “They gave me turkey. I couldn’t eat it. I survived on chips and biscuits,” she recalled. A relative added that on one occasion, when she refused non-vegetarian food, she was served only a plate of ice.
Family in Tears, Grandchildren Heartbroken
Harjit Kaur’s deportation has left her family devastated. Her daughter-in-law, Manji Kaur, said she faithfully reported to ICE for years, even after her asylum request was rejected in 2012. Despite the uncertainty, she never avoided authorities.
“She did everything right. She just wanted to live peacefully with her family,” her daughter-in-law said.
The most painful moment for Harjit Kaur came when her grandson saw her in detention uniform. “He told me, ‘I can’t see you in these clothes,’” she recalled, choking up as she shared the memory.
A Lonely Return to India
Back in India after three decades, Harjit Kaur feels lost. She has no permanent place to stay and is uncertain whether her old home still exists. For now, she plans to live temporarily with her brother and sister in her village in Punjab.
“I don’t know what to do next. I only want to return to my grandchildren,” she said softly.
Wider Impact: Indians Facing Deportation
Harjit Kaur is not alone. She is among more than 2,400 Indians deported from the United States since the Trump administration began its intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Many of them, like her, have spent decades building lives and families in America, only to be uprooted suddenly.
For Harjit Kaur, the ordeal has been both physically and emotionally crushing. Her wish remains simple but heartbreaking: to be reunited with her grandchildren in the US.