India Protests Mistreatment of 73-Year-Old Woman Deported by U.S., Jaishankar Confirms in Parliament – Obnews

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the government has raised strong objections with U.S. authorities after confirming that a 73-year-old Indian woman, Harjit Kaur, was maltreated while in American detention prior to her deportation. Kaur, who spent more than three decades living and working in the United States, was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September following repeated unsuccessful asylum appeals.

Jaishankar explained that Indian immigration officials routinely interview all deportees upon arrival. In Kaur’s case, the officer reported that she had not been handcuffed during transport, contradicting earlier claims. However, he confirmed that she was subjected to mistreatment within the detention facility before being placed on the flight back to India. He said the government has formally conveyed its concerns to the American Embassy and asked U.S. authorities to investigate the matter.

Kaur, a Sikh resident of California since 1991, was arrested on September 8 by ICE officers after decades of attempting to regularize her status. She was transferred to a holding facility in Georgia on September 19 and deported three days later. According to accounts shared after her arrival in India, she endured 60 to 70 hours in detention without access to a bed, despite having undergone double knee replacement surgery. She was reportedly forced to sleep on the floor, provided only ice to take her medication and denied suitable food. Guards allegedly blamed her when she was unable to eat the standard sandwich meal offered.

Her deportation followed a series of legal challenges, including appeals up to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, all of which were ultimately denied. Jaishankar told Parliament that India remains committed to ensuring the safety and dignity of its citizens abroad and will continue to press the United States for accountability in this case.