Sun Sep 14 22:35:53 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
A 73-year-old Sikh woman, Harjit Kaur, who has lived in Northern California for over 30 years, was detained by ICE during a routine check-in. Kaur, who is undocumented after her asylum case was denied in 2012, has been regularly reporting to ICE for over 13 years. Her detention has sparked protests from her family and the local community, who are concerned about her health and well-being. Local officials and Congressman John Garamendi are intervening, urging ICE to release her, citing her lack of criminal record and community contributions.
**News Article:**
**Elderly Sikh Woman’s Detention Sparks Outrage in California**
**New York – September 15, 2025** – The detention of Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old Sikh woman, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California has ignited protests and raised concerns about the agency’s immigration policies. Kaur, a long-time resident of the East Bay area for over three decades, was detained during a routine check-in earlier this week, triggering immediate action from her family and community.
Kaur, who arrived from India in 1992, has been reporting to ICE every six months since her asylum case was denied in 2012. Despite this, she was taken into custody and transported to a detention center in Bakersfield.
“ICE assured her she could remain in the United States under supervision with work permits until they could receive her travel documents,” according to a report in Berkeleyside.
On Friday, hundreds of supporters gathered to demand her release. Congressman John Garamendi has contacted ICE, requesting her immediate return to her family. Garamendi criticized the detention, stating, “This administration’s decision to detain a 73-year-old woman, a respected member of the community with no criminal record…is one more example of the misplaced priorities of Trump’s immigration enforcement.”
Local Council member Dilli Bhattarai echoed these sentiments, emphasizing Kaur’s contributions to the community and her right to remain in the United States.
Family members are especially worried about Kaur’s health, citing pre-existing conditions such as thyroid disease, migraine, knee pain, and anxiety. They fear her detention could endanger her life.
Sukhdeep Kaur, her granddaughter, described her as “independent, selfless, hard-working” calling her a “mother figure” to the community.
The case highlights the ongoing debate surrounding immigration enforcement and the impact on long-term residents with strong community ties.
First Piper 