Bibi Harjit Kaur , the 73-year-old Sikh woman, who was detained on September 8 on the accusation that she was living in California illegally, was finally deported to India, but was not allowed to meet any of her family members not even the attorney. Attorney Deepak Ahluwalia posted a video on Instagram detailing how things unfolded while the family was cooperating with the ICE and they were all ready to send Kaur back to Punjab as she had exhausted all her appeals to stay in the US.
But the administration claimed that she was choosing to stay in the US, Ahluwalia said, adding that she was in connection with the ICE for 13 years for her travel documents which the ICE could not provide.
The attorney said that neither he nor the family was notified when the administration transported Kaur from California detention center to the other part of the country in Georgia in handcuffs before being placed on a charter flight to India on September 19.
Ahluwalia said they requested her release even on ankle monitor so that she could bid goodbye to her family and then travel to Punjab on a commercial flight.
"She was working lawfully in the country and paying taxes as she was waiting for her travel documents," Ahluwalia said.
"She was not given a bed for the last 48 hours of her life in the US. She asked for food to be taken for her medicine and she was given a tray of ice. It's not that she was not given any food at all. She was given a cheese sandwich. She asked for her dentures but she was told that it was her problem," Ahluwalia said.
Kaur's detention triggered a major protest from the community and the Sikh Coalition described it as violation of basic standards. “It is despicable that any human should be treated this way, and downright sickening that a 73-year-old woman was forced to endure it," the group said.
But the administration claimed that she was choosing to stay in the US, Ahluwalia said, adding that she was in connection with the ICE for 13 years for her travel documents which the ICE could not provide.
The attorney said that neither he nor the family was notified when the administration transported Kaur from California detention center to the other part of the country in Georgia in handcuffs before being placed on a charter flight to India on September 19.
Ahluwalia said they requested her release even on ankle monitor so that she could bid goodbye to her family and then travel to Punjab on a commercial flight.
"She was working lawfully in the country and paying taxes as she was waiting for her travel documents," Ahluwalia said.
It is a relief that 73-year-old Harjit Kaur is finally back home, but deeply disheartening to see the plight in which she has returned — after the ordeal of 15–20 days of detention and being brought back in chains.
— Vikramjit Singh MP (@vikramsahney) September 25, 2025
*We appreciate that our letter to Hon'ble Ambasaador to U.S.A… pic.twitter.com/IcS9S8wJWH
"She was not given a bed for the last 48 hours of her life in the US. She asked for food to be taken for her medicine and she was given a tray of ice. It's not that she was not given any food at all. She was given a cheese sandwich. She asked for her dentures but she was told that it was her problem," Ahluwalia said.
Kaur's detention triggered a major protest from the community and the Sikh Coalition described it as violation of basic standards. “It is despicable that any human should be treated this way, and downright sickening that a 73-year-old woman was forced to endure it," the group said.
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