'Handcuffed, made to sleep on floor': The harrowing deportation of 73-year-old Sikh grandma from US

For more than 30 years, Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old Sikh grandmother, lived in the United States and built her life there. But this week, everything changed when she was suddenly taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

News of her detention left local communities shocked and outraged. Hundreds joined demonstrations under the banner “bring grandma home”, demanding that she be allowed to stay.

Despite these calls, Kaur was deported to India on September 23. Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, revealed in an Instagram post that she was placed on a chartered flight without any prior notice, given no chance to say goodbye, and subjected to harsh conditions during the journey.

According to him, the 73-year-old was handcuffed and even made to sleep on the floor, raising serious questions about how someone her age could be treated in such a way.

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Here’s a closer look at what happened.

Harjit Kaur’s harrowing detention

Harjit Kaur’s nightmare began on 8 September, when she went for a routine check-in at the US ICE office, however, authorities detained her and transferred her to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Centre in Bakersfield, her family said.

Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, revealed in an Instagram post that she was unexpectedly moved from Bakersfield to Los Angeles, and later placed on a chartered flight to Georgia, an unusual move since deportees are normally sent back on commercial passenger flights.

What made matters worse was the way she was treated despite her fragile health. Ahluwalia claimed that Kaur, who had undergone double knee replacement surgery, was placed in handcuffs on Saturday morning. She was then kept in a temporary detention facility meant for outgoing detainees, where she was allegedly denied basic amenities.

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“She was not given a bed and had to share a holding room with others, where the only options were a concrete bench or the floor. She was forced to sleep on the floor with just a blanket and struggled to stand after lying down,” Ahluwalia said.

He added that in the last 48 hours of her life in the US, Kaur’s requests for food with her medicine were brushed aside.

“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,” the lawyer alleged.

From Los Angeles, she was flown to Armenia before being taken to New Delhi by ICE officials. Shockingly, according to Ahluwalia, neither her attorney nor her family received any prior notice.

“She was not even allowed to say goodbye to her family or collect her belongings. The family had arranged for her travel documents and requested that she be sent on a commercial flight, but their requests were ignored,” he said.

Who is Harjit Kaur?

Harjit Kaur first moved to the United States in 1992 from Punjab. At the time, she was a single mother raising two sons. She eventually settled in the East Bay in Northern California, where she lived for more than 30 years.

According to a report by ABC7News, Kaur was undocumented. She worked for more than 20 years at a local Indian clothing store and became a grandmother to five, two grandsons and three granddaughters, along with many other relatives who saw her as the heart of their family.

Her lawyer said she had filed multiple asylum appeals over the years, but each was eventually denied, with the final rejection coming in 2012.

But despite that setback, she continued to comply with immigration authorities. Her daughter-in-law, Manji Kaur, shared that she had “faithfully reported” to ICE in San Francisco every six months for more than 13 years.

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A report by Berkeleyside, a nonprofit news outlet, noted that ICE had assured her she could remain in the US under supervision, with work permits, until her travel documents were arranged.

Her daughter-in-law further shared that Kaur had always respected immigration rules and made repeated attempts to obtain travel papers from the Indian Consulate.

“ICE has been trying for the past 13 years to get her a travel document. If ICE can’t get it in 13 years, how are we supposed to get it?” she asked.

‘Hands off Grandma’

News of her sudden detention triggered anger and widespread protests. Around 200 people gathered in El Sobrante last week, carrying placards that read “Hands Off Our Grandma” and “Bring Grandma Home.”

The demonstration was led by her family, the Sikh Center, and the local advocacy group Indivisible West Contra Costa.

At the rally, her granddaughter Sukhdeep Kaur, told Richmondside, “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,” she added.

Over 70% of people arrested by ICE have no criminal conviction. Now, they are literally going after peaceful grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities. I demand the release of Harjit Kaur. https://t.co/jGS9FiJbJI

— State Senator Jesse Arreguín (@JesseArreguin) September 13, 2025

Local leaders also joined in to show support.

State Senator Jesse Arreguin wrote on X, “Over 70 per cent of people arrested by ICE have no criminal conviction. Now, they are literally going after peaceful grandmothers. This shameful act is harming our communities. I demand the release of Harjit Kaur.”

A representative from Congressman John Garamendi’s office joined the protest, as did Hercules City Council member Dilli Bhattarai.

“She is not doing any harm to the community. She is an abiding constituent just like us," Bhattarai said.

ICE’s response

In response to the criticism, ICE told the BBC that Harjit Kaur had “exhausted decades of due process.” The agency noted that an immigration judge had ordered her removal back in 2005.

“Harjit Kaur has filed multiple appeals all the way up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and LOST each time. Now that she has exhausted all legal remedies, the ICE is enforcing US law and the orders by the judge; she will not waste any more US tax dollars,” the statement read.

With input from agencies