US Deports Grandma; Canada Designates Bishnoi Gang as Terror Group

A 73-year-old Sikh woman who lived in the US for over 30 years was deported to India by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Harjit Kaur was not even given a bed for 60-70 hours, and was made to sleep on the floor without a blanket. She was not even allowed to say goodbye to her family before being deported. Kaur’s lawyer Deepak Ahluwalia said she was given ice to take medication and denied food she could eat, with guards blaming her for her inability to eat the provided sandwich which could be due to  dietary restrictions. Meanwhile, another Sikh businessman Paramjit Singh—who immigrated to the US more than 30 years ago—has been detained by the ICE and kept in custody for over a month. Singh is a Green Card holder and has been doing business in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Singh's attorney Luis Angeles said the detention was absolutely illegal and that the government is increasing his health risks as he has a brain tumor and heart issues. The reason for arrest is that Singh used a pay phone in 1999 without paying the fee USD 0.35. Concurrently, the Canadian government has designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code—a step that bars Canadians from providing it with financial or material support, and allows for the freezing of assets, property seizures, and criminal charges against affiliates. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the designation gives law enforcement 'enhanced powers to combat a group that has instilled fear through violence and intimidation'. The gang is a transnational syndicate that originated in Rajasthan. Active in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta, the gang has been linked to over 50 violent incidents since 2023, including bombings at the homes of Panjabi musicians Amritpal Singh Dhillon and Rupinder Singh Grewal alias Gippy Grewal, a shooting at comedian Kapil Sharma’s Surrey café, and widespread extortion rackets targeting South Asian communities. This is an important move in the context of thawing of relations between India and Canada (earlier coverage).