US Gurdwaras Fear ICE Raids; Panjab Deportees Face Financial Ruin

Sikhs in the US are facing heightened fears of immigration raids at Gurdwaras after the Trump administration lifted restrictions preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting operations in ‘sensitive locations,’ including places of worship. Gurdwara Sahib West Sacramento has seen a decline in attendance and fielded numerous calls from anxious worshippers. Narinder Singh Thandi, the Gurdwara’s president, noted that some members now avoid crowded meal times, fearing ICE raids. Similar concerns have been reported at the Sikh Cultural Society in Queens, New York. The Sikh Coalition, a civil rights group, estimates there are over 350 Gurdwaras and 500K Sikhs in the US. The deportation policy has also sparked lawsuits from religious groups, including Sikhs, Quakers, and Jewish organizations, arguing that the threat of enforcement infringes on religious freedom. Meanwhile in Panjab, families of deportees are grappling with the fallout of illegal immigration. Daljit Singh, deported from the US, lost his family’s 4.5-acre farmland worth USD 115K to a travel agent who exploited his desperation. Similarly, Jaswinder Singh, a deportee from Moga, filed a case against Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Sukhwinder Singh for duping him of USD 52K and sending him abroad via the dunki (illegal donkey route) route. Deportees like Jatinder Singh and Mandeep Singh recounted harrowing experiences, enduring torture in US detention camps, and facing extreme conditions during their journey. Jatinder Singh, who paid USD 57K to an agent, described being shackled and deprived of proper food, while Mandeep Singh recounted facing crocodiles and snakes during his illegal journey to the US. Kapurthala police also booked two agents for cheating a deportee of USD 52K. The Indian government is cracking down on illegal immigration rackets, with investigations revealing widespread fraud and abuse by agents.