Illegal Indian immigrants being treated like criminals, turbans of Sikhs taken away in US jail

July 16, 2018 17:55

Over 50 illegal Indian immigrants, mostly Sikhs, seeking asylum in the US are being treated like criminals with their turbans taken away in a federal prison in Oregon after getting caught up in the Trump administration's controversial "zero-tolerance" policy, according to volunteers from legal advocacy groups.

US President Donald Trump's tough immigration policy has separated nearly 2,000 children from their parents and guardians and placed into holding facilities between April 19 and May 31 of this year.

The controversial decision however has been reversed by Trump through an executive order following widespread protests against the move.

"It's heartbreaking when you go in there and you see the young kids like the ages are close to starting from 18 onwards, 22 to 24 in those jumpsuits...and you wonder how they ended up being treated as criminals. They've not committed a crime, they have crossed the border and they have asked for a refugee or asylum and that is a law of this land," said Navneet Kaur, a community college professor, .

Over the past several weeks, Navneet has interacted with most of the 52 Indian inmates in the federal prison at Sheridan in Oregon. She has volunteered to work as a Punjabi translator for the non-profit legal firm Innovation Law lab, which is providing legal assistance to the illegal immigrants in jail.

The Indians form the largest group of detainees in the total 123 illegal immigrants being held at a facility in Sheridan.

"Right now, they are (in) a miserable (condition)," she said.

Of the 52 Indians, a majority of them are Punjabi speaking and are Sikhs.

When they were arrested, Navneet said, the Indian asylum seekers were chained.

"When they were in handcuffs and chains for 24 hours they ate with their handcuffs on. Even the hardcore criminals are not treated like that. Then they were kept for 22 hours a day in a cell with the people who did not speak the language," she said. "It's inhuman," she said.

The situation is worse for the Sikh inmates as their turbans have been taken away in the jail.

"Their turbans have been taken away. In a country where everyone has right to practice their own religion these men there don't have turbans to cover (their head). Not even a piece of cloth to cover their heads," Navneet said.

-- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

EC examines Cong's complaint against Modi's speech

Modi on Sunday suggested that if the Congress came to power, it would redistribute the wealth of people to Muslims and cited former PM Manmohan Singh's remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country's resources.

If Congress is nothing, then...: Kharge's dig at Modi

Why is the saffron party welcoming corrupt people to their fold, the veteran leader asked.

Zydus gets China nod for kidney disease drug

Ahmedabad-based Zydus Lifesciences said on Tuesday that a new drug application for its oral drug Desidustat used in treating anaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients had been accepted by the National Medical Products...

Former wrestler Narsingh Yadav elected chairman

Former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Narsingh Pancham Yadav was elected chairman of the Wrestling Federation of India's Athletes' Commission in Varanasi on Wednesday, completing a process that was mandated by the sport's world...

BJP slams Cong over Sam Pitroda's inheritance tax remarks

Congress General Secretary (Communications), Jairam Ramesh said that Pitroda expressed his opinions freely on issues he feels strongly about, however, that does not always reflect the stand of the party.