USA: Gurudwaras Searched for Illegal Immigrants, Draws Flak

Sharp reactions erupted from Sikh organizations after law enforcement officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security searched gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey for the presence of illegal immigrants. Sikhs are outraged, seeing such actions as a threat to the sanctity of their faith.

Some of the gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey are believed to be hubs for Sikh separatists and undocumented immigrants. With this belief, the Trump administration has launched fresh searches at several gurdwaras in the U.S.

Shortly after Trump was sworn in, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman issued a directive revoking the Biden administration’s guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions. This move overturned previous norms that restricted immigration enforcement in designated “sensitive areas,” such as houses of worship, including gurdwaras and churches.

According to media reports, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated:
“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens—including murderers and rapists—who have illegally entered our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) has expressed grave concerns over the new directive. "This troubling shift in policy comes in tandem with community reports of DHS agents visiting gurdwaras in the New York and New Jersey areas just days after the directive was issued," SALDEF stated.

Kiran Kaur Gill, executive director of SALDEF, criticized the move:
“We are deeply alarmed by the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to eliminate protections for sensitive areas and then target places of worship like gurdwaras.”

According to Gill, gurdwaras are not just places of worship but serve as vital community centres that provide support, nourishment, and spiritual solace to Sikhs and the broader community.

“Targeting these spaces for enforcement actions threatens the sanctity of our faith and sends a chilling message to immigrant communities nationwide,” she added.

Condemning the directive, the Sikh Coalition said the Trump administration’s decision has opened the door for ICE agents to conduct surveillance, investigations, arrests, and raids at gurdwaras.

“The idea that our gurdwaras could be subject to government surveillance and raids by armed law enforcement, with or without warrants, is unacceptable to the Sikh faith tradition. It will burden religious exercise by limiting the ability of Sikhs to gather and associate with one another in accordance with our faith,” the Sikh Coalition stated.

“It also harkens back to dark periods in our collective memory when governments interfered in the ability of Sikhs to practice our faith freely—with deadly consequences. If Sikhs—whether documented or undocumented—fear gurdwara raids and surveillance, gurdwaras may see decreased attendance, impacting their ability to carry out essential religious practices in a meaningful manner,” the Sikh Coalition warned.

Also Read: US Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt to End Birthright Citizenship