Indian-origin Meenu Batra living in US for 35 years detained by ICE: 'That doesn’t mean you can be here forever'

53-year-old Meenu Batra, an Indian-origin woman who had been living in the US for the last 35 years was detained by ICE agents in Texas who asked her whether she knew that she had a deportation order and that she was in the country illegally. Texas Observer reported that Batra is Texas's only licensed Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu legal interpreter and she's often contracted to help South Asian people through the immigration court system. On March 17, she was detained by the ICE as she was passing through security at Harlingen International Airport as she was on her way to Wisconsin for a case.

In her statement, Batra said those who arrested her did not have any visible badges and were not wearing uniforms. One of the agents asked her whether she knew she was an illegal. She replied that her work authorization status, which she applied for regularly after being granted a legal status called withholding of removal by a New Jersey immigration judge decades ago, was good for another four years.

“That doesn’t mean you can be here forever,” the agent replied.

Batra told Texas Observer that she read enough news and so she complied to their orders as she understood that if she said something, they would accuse her of trying to evade arrest.

Deepak Ahluwalia, a California and Texas-based immigration attorney representing Batra, filed a habeas petition.

After placing her in handcuffs, the agents drove Batra to ICE's field office in Harlingen, where she was a known face as she worked with many cases that required translation.

"Batra was moved through various holding cells for 24 hours without food or water, first in Harlingen then in the El Valle Detention Center outside of Raymondville, in neighboring Willacy County. As of mid-April, she remains there without access to the consistent medical care she needs following surgeries she had in December," the Texas Observer report said.

Batra's youngest son is in military

Batra's attorneys said the US government never told her that it was planning to deport her. One of Batra's children recently enlisted in the military and filed a parole application for her. Her attorneys have also filed a temporary restraining order seeking to prevent ICE from moving her to another detention center.

The Department of Homeland Security contradicted and said Batra had a final order of removal from an immigration judge in 2000 and she will remain in ICE custody pending removal.

"What is completely bizarre in this case (along with others) under the current administration is that they are detaining these individuals without any notice or motion, and circumventing the laws by removing them to countries like Sudan. This is a clear violation of our laws and our client's rights and we will fight until she has been released," Ahluwalia said.