- By Shivangi Sharma
- Sun, 14 Sep 2025 05:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The detention of a 73-year-old grandmother from El Sobrante has left her family and community in shock, sparking protests in the East Bay. Harjit Kaur, a longtime resident of the Bay Area, was taken into custody earlier this week after attending what was supposed to be a routine immigration appointment in San Francisco.
Kaur has lived in the East Bay for more than 30 years. She raised her family in Hercules, worked for decades at Sari Palace on University Avenue in Berkeley, and attended the El Sobrante Sikh Gurdwara regularly. Since 1992, when she arrived from India as a single mother with two sons, Kaur has complied with all immigration requirements. For the past 13 years, she has reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in San Francisco every six months without incident.
On Monday, she arrived at the ICE office to submit paperwork for a travel application. Instead of returning home, Kaur was detained without explanation. By Tuesday, she had been transferred to a detention facility in Bakersfield.
Family Left In Dark
Her family says they were blindsided. “It’s been a total nightmare to find out she’s been detained. We didn’t expect it. She’s been doing ICE check-ins for 13 years,” said her daughter-in-law, Manjit Kaur.
73 Year old Bebe Harjit Kaur is in ICE custody.
— 𝔹𝕒𝕛𝕨𝕒𓁆 (@shakkrpara) September 13, 2025
At her advanced age,detention poses serious risks to her health.
Her family is calling for her immediate release,elders deserve care and dignity,not confinement.#FreeHarjitKaur #PunjabFloods https://t.co/UditIAVH1z pic.twitter.com/NKEBqh5TW7
Her granddaughter, Sukhmeet Sandhu, recalled the moment they were told she was not coming out. “They just said we are detaining your grandma and didn’t give me any other information, didn’t let me see her. And after that, we didn’t hear from her for hours and when we did, she was crying and begging us for help.”
The family also expressed concern that Kaur may not have access to all of her prescribed medications while in detention.
'The Epitome Of American Dream'
Relatives describe Kaur as the embodiment of the immigrant dream. “She’s been here over 30 years, working, paying taxes. I don’t even think she has a speeding ticket,” said Manjit.
Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, added: “She came to the U.S. as a single mother in 1992 to give her sons a better future. She’s worked hard all her life.”
Ikjot Sandhu, her first grandchild, said, “My grandmother was more like a mother to me. For the last 26 years, she’s been taking care of me.”
On Friday, community members and activists gathered to protest her detention, calling for her immediate release. Her niece, Sukhjit Kaur, voiced the family’s frustration: “She is part of this community. We just want answers and for her to come home.”