US immigration officials conduct raids in gurdwaras in New York, New Jersey
New York: Immigration enforcement officials from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted raids in gurdwaras across New York and New Jersey on Sunday to identify undocumented immigrants. The action has drawn criticism from Sikh organisations, which have expressed concern over the sanctity of their places of worship being compromised.
A DHS spokesperson defended the move, stating, “This action empowers CBP and ICE officials to enforce immigration laws and apprehend criminal aliens, including those involved in violent crimes such as murder and rape. Criminals can no longer use places like schools and churches as safe havens.”
The raids follow a policy shift under US President Donald Trump’s administration, which rescinded guidelines from the Biden era that protected “sensitive” locations such as religious institutions from enforcement actions.
Vice President JD Vance echoed similar sentiments, saying, “If a person convicted of a violent crime is hiding, law enforcement must act to ensure public safety, irrespective of their immigration status.”
However, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) criticised the move. Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill expressed alarm over the targeting of gurdwaras, stating that the actions threaten the sanctity of the Sikh faith and send a “chilling message” to immigrant communities.
The Sikh Coalition highlighted concerns over decreased attendance at gurdwaras, which could impact the ability to practice essential religious activities. “The idea of armed law enforcement conducting raids in gurdwaras is unacceptable to the Sikh faith tradition,” the organisation stated.
The DHS actions are part of a broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants, with several reported arrests and deportations under Trump’s immigration policies.
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Will of people supreme, says Mahua Moitra after BJP's landslide victory in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day after the Trinamool Congress faced a drubbing by the BJP in the West Bengal assembly elections, TMC MP Mohua Moitra on Tuesday said her party respects the mandate as the will of the people is supreme.
She also said that the party will continue the fight for a “secular country”.
In a post on X, Moitra said, “The will of the people is supreme. If Bengal wanted BJP, then Bengal has got BJP. We respect that.”
The BJP on Monday scripted history by winning 206 seats to secure more than a two-thirds majority in the West Bengal assembly polls, ending the TMC’s 15-year rule.
"We fought the good fight against unimaginable odds on an uneven pitch and for that I am proud of my leader & my party," Moitra said.
She said the TMC will continue to stand and fight for a secular country where the constitution, and "not brute majoritarianism, is the last word”.
