Mohali/Chandigarh: A 73-year-old Punjabi woman, Harjit Kaur, who lived in the United States for over three decades, described her deportation experience as cruel and inhumane. Kaur, a resident of Pangota village in Tarn Taran district, moved to the US with her sons after the death of her husband and had lived in the San Francisco Bay area, working at a clothing store in Berkeley. She was taken into custody by US immigration authorities on September 8, 2025, despite having no criminal record and having complied with all immigration requirements.
Ordeal during detention
Speaking to TOI after landing in New Delhi on Thursday, Kaur sa
id she was denied access to her medicines, and during her detention, she was even served a plate of ice instead of food. “After living there for so long, you are suddenly detained and deported this way; it is better to die than to face this,” Kaur said, choking up as she showed her swollen feet, a result of double knee replacement surgery.
Kaur was held at the Mesa Verde IC Processing Centre in Bakersfield, where she shared a concrete bench and slept on the floor with only a blanket. She said authorities ignored her requests for food suitable for taking her medications. Her lawyer, Deepak Ahluwalia, highlighted that despite repeated appeals to provide basic necessities, she was not given adequate care and was deported alongside 132 other detainees, many of whom were Punjabis.
Deportation and travel
Kaur was flown from Georgia to Armenia and then to New Delhi, where she was reunited with her family. While she was spared from shackles during the flight due to her age, she was handcuffed during transfers in the US. Ahluwalia explained that her family had tried to arrange a commercial flight to allow Kaur to say goodbye to her belongings, but immigration authorities did not respond, and she was forcibly taken to Los Angeles in handcuffs at 2 am.
Life in the US and return to India
Kaur had lived in the US for over 30 years, paying taxes and following all legal protocols. She had previous asylum applications rejected, the last being in 2012. She worked at a clothing store until January 2025, when knee complications forced her to stop working. Kaur said she was heartbroken to leave her home without taking care of her belongings and expressed sympathy for others deported with her, many of whom had spent lakhs to reach the US and returned empty-handed.
Her younger brother, Kulwant Singh, confirmed that the family would take care of her in Punjab. “It is sad the way she has been deported and separated from her family. We will ensure she receives proper care,” he said.
Lawyer’s statement and next steps
Ahluwalia said a separate complaint will be filed regarding the treatment Kaur received during deportation. “She was the oldest and had no criminal record, yet the authorities treated her with disregard for her health and age. The ordeal was completely unnecessary,” he added.
Kaur will now stay with her sister in Mohali as she recovers from the physical and emotional trauma of her deportation.