A 73-year-old Punjabi lady residing in California’s East Bay for greater than 30 years has change into the main focus of a serious protest after being taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) final week.
Harjit Kaur, a longtime resident of Hercules with no prior felony report, had gone to the ICE workplace in San Francisco on September 8 for what her household believed can be a routine appointment. As a substitute, she was detained and transferred the next day to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Heart in Bakersfield.
Who Is Harjit Kaur?
Kaur, who moved from India in 1992 as a single mom of two, has been checking in with ICE commonly ever since her asylum plea was denied in 2012. Kin stated she has “by no means missed an appointment” for over a decade. Alongside her historical past of compliance, they identified that she suffers from quite a lot of well being points together with thyroid illness, migraines, knee ache and nervousness, making her detention significantly regarding.
Group Rallies with ‘Convey Grandma House’ Protest
On Friday, practically 200 folks rallied close to the El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara, with placards studying “Convey Grandma House” and “Arms Off Our Grandma.” Supporters shouted slogans and passing motorists honked in solidarity throughout the two-hour demonstration. The occasion was organised by her household with help from Indivisible West Contra Costa and the Sikh Heart. Native representatives, together with employees from Congressman John Garamendi’s workplace and Hercules Metropolis Council member Dilli Bhattarai, additionally joined the gathering.
Kaur spent over 20 years working as a seamstress at Sari Palace, a Berkeley-based small enterprise, and is described by her household as a dedicated neighborhood member. They’ve additionally launched a marketing campaign web site, bringharjithome.com, urging folks to succeed in out to elected officers akin to Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Laphonza Butler, Garamendi and the White Home to push for her launch.