Sikh leaders refute claims of immigration raids on US gurdwaras
New York: Sikh community leaders in the US have dismissed reports from Indian media alleging that immigration authorities have raided gurdwaras as part of their crackdown on illegal immigrants. They clarified that no such raids have occurred.
Sukhjinder Singh Nijjar, of The Richmond Hill Gurdwara in New York, stated that normal activities, including kirtan and recitation, were conducted without interruption on Sunday.
Nijjar, who represents the Sikh Cultural Society and Saheli Northeast, confirmed that neither police nor immigration authorities had targeted any gurdwara in New York or New Jersey.
Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, also denied reports of raids, calling them baseless and the result of misinformation.
Both leaders highlighted the Sikh community’s warm relations with US government representatives, including the Department of Justice and the White House.
Nijjar further said that gurdwaras maintain strong ties with government agencies and regularly hold meetings to address community concerns.
This clarification comes after President Donald Trump revoked a policy that previously prohibited immigration officials from making arrests in schools and churches. While the policy mentioned only churches, representatives of other faiths have expressed concerns over its broader implications.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that the new policy aims to prevent criminals from using schools and churches as safe havens.