US officials hunt for illegal immigrants reach Gurdwaras in NY, New Jersey

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have begun visiting Gurudwaras in New York and New Jersey to hunt illegal immigrants amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented aliens in the country.

Jan 27, 2025 - 14:37
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US officials hunt for illegal immigrants reach Gurdwaras in NY, New Jersey

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have begun visiting Gurudwaras in New York and New Jersey to hunt illegal immigrants amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented aliens in the country. The action came as under the Trump administration, the US Department of Homeland Security revoked a Biden-era policy that prevented law enforcement in or near "sensitive" areas including places of worship.

This move has drawn criticism from several Sikh organisations, which view the action as a threat to the sanctity of their religious spaces.

Reports suggest that some gurdwaras in these areas may be used as gathering places by Sikh separatists and undocumented immigrants. "This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminals aliens-including murders and rapists-who have illegally come into our country," a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said.

The move drew a sharp reaction from some Sikh organisations which see such actions as a threat to the sanctity of their faith. In a statement, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDF) expressed grave concern over the directive rescinding the guidelines that designated "sensitive areas", such as houses of worship, where immigration enforcement actions were previously restricted.

Sikh Coalition said the Trump administration's decision to rescind the DHS policy on "protected areas" (which also included hospitals, schools, social service providers, and more) opens the door to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting surveillance, investigations, arrests, and raids at gurdwaras." "If Sikhs-whether documented or undocumented-are concerned with gurdwara raids and surveillance, gurdwaras may well be impacted by decreased attendance, and thus an inability to carry out essential religious practices in a meaningful manner," said Sikh Coalition

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