In a powerful act of solidarity, a senior Democratic congressman kept his State of the Union guest seat vacant to honor 73-year-old Indian American Harjeet Kaur, who was abruptly deported to India last year. Representative John Garamendi, whose district includes many immigrant communities, dedicated the empty chair to Kaur during President Biden’s address to Congress.
Garamendi explained that Kaur, a longtime constituent, had lived in the US since the early 1990s. Despite her asylum claim being denied in 2012, she faithfully reported to immigration officials in San Francisco every six months for over 13 years without incident. ‘I’m dedicating my State of the Union guest seat to 73-year-old grandmother Harjeet Kaur,’ Garamendi stated. ‘Tragically, she couldn’t join us because she was brutally deported to India in the middle of the night. This empty seat stands for her and for all those detained, held incommunicado, or who lost their lives under Trump’s harsh immigration policies. It symbolizes the human cost of those policies.’
The ordeal began on September 8, 2025, during a routine check-in. Immigration agents took Kaur into custody and transferred her to a detention center in Bakersfield, California. The next day, she was moved to Mesa Verde Detention Center. In the early hours of September 19, around 2 a.m., shackled agents transported her from Bakersfield to Los Angeles without notifying her lawyer or family, then flew her to Georgia. Almost immediately, she was loaded onto a charter flight to India. For over 24 hours, her whereabouts were unknown, despite her family’s plans for a commercial flight home together.
Garamendi highlighted the inhumanity: ‘President Trump promised to target dangerous criminals, but deporting a 73-year-old grandmother with no criminal record—who complied with check-ins for 13 years—shows how thousands of families suffered.’ Reports from his office detail Kaur’s detention horrors: hours without bedding or chairs, sleeping on floors, chained during transfers, denied vegetarian meals per her Sikh faith, limited showers, delayed medications for thyroid issues, knee surgery recovery, and chronic migraines. She received no medical attention despite requests, and once got only a bowl of ice after a day without food. Insufficient water compounded her suffering.
Back in India, Kaur remains in contact with family but struggles with health issues without nearby support. Her story underscores the ongoing immigration debate in America, particularly under Trump-era policies that targeted citizens from countries like India. Garamendi’s gesture calls for compassion in enforcement, reminding lawmakers of the personal toll behind political rhetoric. As immigration remains a flashpoint, such acts may push for reforms prioritizing humanity over harsh measures.