As President donald trump cracks down on unauthorized aliens in the United States, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel have started going to Gurudwaras in New York and New jersey to find illegal immigrants. A number of Sikh organizations have criticized this decision, seeing it as a danger to the sacredness of their places of worship.
 
According to reports, Sikh separatists and undocumented immigrants may congregate at some of the gurdwaras in these locations.
 
Shortly after donald trump was inaugurated in as president, the policy changed. In a memo, acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman reversed the Biden administration's policies on the enforcement of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Enforcement operations in or near "sensitive" locales, such as houses of worship like gurdwaras, were limited under the prior criteria.
 
The Sikh American Legal Defence and education Fund (SALDF) responded by voicing their disapproval of the policy change in a statement. Communities have reported that DHS officers visited gurdwaras in the New York and New jersey regions within days of the directive's issuance, which coincides with this concerning change in policy, the organization stated.
 
“The Department of Homeland Security’s decision to remove protection for sensitive areas and then target places of worship like gurdwaras deeply alarms us,” said kiran Kaur Gill, executive director of the Sikh American Legal Defence and education Fund (SALDEF).
 
Gurdwaras are more than just houses of worship, Gill clarified. They are essential communal hubs that offer Sikhs and the larger community assistance, sustenance, and spiritual comfort. The purity of our faith is under danger, and targeting particular locations for enforcement measures sends a frightening message to immigrant communities across the country," she added.
 
The policy change, which eliminated protection for schools, hospitals, and social service providers in addition to houses of worship, was also criticized by the Sikh Coalition. They voiced worries that this may make it possible for ICE officers to raid gurdwaras and carry out surveillance, investigations, and arrests.
 
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G GOWTHAM

27/01/2025 01:15 PM