A 73-year-old woman was chained... made to lie on the ground for hours, brutality against a woman who had lived in the US for 30 years.

73-Year-Old Sikh Woman Chained, Denied Food and Family Contact Before Deportation From US to India

New Delhi, Sep 26, 2025 – In a shocking case that has sparked outrage among immigrant rights advocates, a 73-year-old Sikh woman, Harjit Kaur, was deported from the United States to India under distressing circumstances. After living in America for more than three decades, Kaur was handcuffed, denied access to her family and lawyer, and forced to endure what her attorney described as “inhumane treatment” before being flown to New Delhi.

Harjit Kaur’s Deportation Ordeal

According to her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, immigration officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Harjit Kaur in California earlier this week. She was first held at a detention center in Bakersfield and then transferred to Los Angeles. From there, she was flown to Georgia before being placed on a chartered deportation flight to India via Armenia.

During this time, she was allegedly chained, denied medical care, and deprived of basic necessities. Despite her advanced age and health issues, she was not provided with a bed for nearly 60–70 hours, forcing her to sleep on the floor with only a blanket.

Kaur, who had undergone knee replacement surgeries in the past, reportedly found it extremely difficult to stand or walk. She was denied the opportunity to bathe and was only given a tray of ice and a single sandwich to eat. Shockingly, she was also deprived of her dentures, making it impossible to eat properly.

Family Denied Farewell Meeting

What has upset the community even more is that Kaur was not allowed to meet her family before being deported. Her relatives pleaded with ICE officers to let them say goodbye, but the request was rejected. Neither her family members nor her legal counsel were granted access to her during the final hours of her detention.

Attorney Ahluwalia shared details of her ordeal on social media, calling it a “barbaric and unnecessary show of force” against an elderly woman who posed no threat to public safety.

Over 30 Years in the United States

Harjit Kaur first arrived in the United States in 1992 along with her two sons. For more than 30 years, she lived in the country, building a life for herself and her family. In 2012, her asylum application was officially denied, but she continued to live in the U.S. without legal status.

For the past 13 years, Kaur had been regularly reporting to the ICE office in San Francisco every six months, complying with the agency’s requirements. Despite this, she was suddenly taken into custody this week and deported in a matter of days.

Reports from ABC7 News suggest that Kaur had been living without valid documentation since her asylum rejection. Yet, her consistent compliance with ICE check-ins had led her family to believe that she would not face immediate deportation.

Outrage and Calls for Accountability

The incident has sparked anger among immigrant rights activists, Sikh community leaders, and humanitarian groups, who are demanding answers from U.S. authorities. Critics argue that deporting an elderly woman in such a cruel manner highlights systemic flaws in the immigration system and raises concerns about human rights violations.

Community leaders in California and Punjab have condemned the treatment meted out to Kaur, calling it a violation of dignity and compassion. They have urged both U.S. and Indian authorities to ensure better handling of elderly deportees in the future.

Back in Punjab

Upon her arrival in India, Harjit Kaur was received by extended family members. However, her relatives remain devastated over the way she was separated from her immediate family in the U.S. without even a chance for a farewell.

For now, she will be starting over in Punjab, far away from the country she had called home for over three decades.

A Case That Raises Questions

Kaur’s story is more than just a deportation case—it has become a symbol of the hardships faced by undocumented immigrants who live in constant uncertainty. The treatment of a frail, elderly woman has raised serious ethical and humanitarian questions about ICE’s deportation practices.

As the debate continues, the Sikh community in the U.S. has vowed to press for accountability and reforms to ensure that no elderly immigrant is subjected to such conditions in the future.