A US lawmaker has criticized the detention of Indian-origin court interpreter Minu Batra, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite living in the US for nearly 35 years and working in the legal system.53-year-old Minu Batra is described as the only licensed Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu court translator in Texas. She has spent decades in the United States, raising her children and working within the immigration court system helping South Asian immigrants navigate the legal process.Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro weighed in on her case on
She has spent most of her life in Texas, working and raising her children. She was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite receiving humanitarian protection. Trump’s mass deportation campaign is not seeking the worst. It targets contributing members of our communities and breaks up families.
“British journalist Mehdi Hassan also re-shared the post.
Batra was arrested on March 17 at Harlingen International Airport in Texas while traveling for work.
She was on her way to Wisconsin for court-related business when she was stopped by ICE agents after she passed through security.The agents were not wearing uniforms and did not display visible badges, she told the Texas Observer. One of the officers allegedly questioned her status, asking her if she knew she had a deportation order and if she was in the country illegally.“I read enough of the news so I complied with their orders,” Batra said, explaining that she chose not to resist during the arrest.Her legal team said an immigration judge granted her “withholding of removal” decades ago, along with a work permit that was regularly renewed. However, officials reportedly told her: “This doesn’t mean you can stay here forever.”After her arrest, she was transported to ICE facilities in Texas, where she was detained. She was transferred between detention centers and held for approximately 24 hours without food or water.
She also became ill while in detention and was receiving limited medical care after a recent surgery.Batra’s lawyers say she should not have been detained without proper notice, and say she lived in the United States legally under protected status. They have filed a habeas corpus petition challenging her detention and demanding her release.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said she had a final deportation order issued in 2000 and would remain in custody awaiting deportation. Officials also clarified that a work permit does not equal legal immigration status.
