US agents' visit to gurdwaras sparks concern among Sikh bodies, NRIs

The recent crackdown on illegal immigrants by US law enforcement agencies has drawn sharp criticism from Sikh organisations and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

- Gurpreet Singh Nibber & Navrajdeep Singh

JALANDHAR:

This reaction follows visits by officials from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey, where they investigated the presence of 'undocumented' individuals. The stringent measures have caused anxiety among parents in Punjab. Many fear their children, who entered the US through 'donkey routes' or other unlawful means, having spent lakhs of rupees, could now face deportation.

The action came within hours of Donald Trump's inauguration as President, with the acting DHS secretary Benjamine Huffman, in a directive, rescinding the guidelines for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that thwart law enforcement in or near so-called 'sensitive' areas, including places of worship like gurdwaras and churches.