Crackdown on 'illegal immigrants' reaches NY, New Jersey gurdwaras

Washington: Law enforcement officials from the US department of homeland security have started visiting gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey to check for the presence of illegal immigrants, drawing a sharp reaction from some Sikh organisations which see 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 used as a hub by Sikh separatists along with illegal and undocumented immigrants.

Within hours of Donald Trump being sworn in as President, acting department of homeland security secretary Benjamine Huffman in a directive rescinded the Biden administration's guidelines for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that thwart law enforcement in or near so-called "sensitive" areas. These "sensitive" areas included places of worship like gurdwaras and churches.


"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 come into our country," a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said.