Indian woman living in US for 35 years held by ICE

Weather ePaper Today’s Paper Journalism of Courage Home ePaper Politics Explained Opinion India Business Premium Cities UPSC Entertainment Sports World Lifestyle Tech Subscribe Sign In TrendingUPSC OfferIPL 2026US NewsPuzzles & GamesLegal NewsFresh TakeHealthResearch🎙️ Podcast Advertisement function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript() { if (window.jQuery) { // jQuery is loaded, include your script jQuery(document).ready(function($) { // Your existing script for checking window width if (window.innerWidth) var page_w = window.innerWidth; else if (document.all) var page_w = document.body.clientWidth; if (page_w > 1024) { $(".add-left, .add-right").show(); } else { $(".add-left, .add-right").hide(); } }); } else { // jQuery is not loaded, check again after 0.2 seconds setTimeout(checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript, 200); } } // Initial call to the function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript(); NewsCitiesChandigarhIndian woman living in US for 35 years held by ICE Indian woman living in US for 35 years held by ICE Meenu Batra, a court interpreter held in Texas despite valid work authorisation. By: Express News Service3 min readApr 16, 2026 08:35 AM IST Indian-origin interpreter Meenu Batra has been detained by ICE in Texas despite valid work authorisation, with her lawyers challenging the legality of her custody in court. (Express Photo) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Meenu Batra, a 53-year-old Indian-origin court interpreter who has lived in the United States for 35 years, has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas, triggering a legal challenge over the lawfulness of her custody. Batra had moved to the US as a child after her parents were killed in the anti-Sikh violence of 1984. Her son recently enlisted in the US army. Batra, described as Texas’s only licensed court interpreter for Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, was arrested by plainclothes ICE agents at Harlingen International Airport on March 17 while travelling to Milwaukee for an immigration court assignment. She is currently lodged at the El Valle Detention Center in Raymondville and remains in custody as of mid-April. Her lawyers have filed a habeas corpus petition in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, arguing that the detention is unlawful as Batra holds valid work authorisation under a “withholding of removal” order granted decades ago by an immigration judge in New Jersey. The petition also seeks to block any transfer to another facility. According to the petition, Batra was intercepted by four plainclothes agents after clearing airport security. When questioned about a 2000 deportation order, she said her work authorisation remained valid for another four years. She was then handcuffed and taken to an ICE office in Harlingen before being transferred to detention. The petition alleges she was held for nearly 24 hours without food or water and has since faced inconsistent access to medical care following surgeries in December 2025. Her lawyers said she has also contracted a respiratory illness in custody. Batra migrated from India to the US in the late 1980s after her parents were killed during the anti-Sikh pogrom in 1984 and has worked as a certified interpreter for over two decades, assisting immigrants in court proceedings across the country. She holds a master-level interpreter licence from Texas and is a member of the American Translators Association. Her legal team, including immigration lawyers Deepak Ahluwalia and Robert Ray Urenda II, has argued that the action targets a long-time resident with a clean record and circumvents established legal protections. They have also cited support letters from community members, judges and local officials. Batra’s son recently enlisted in the US military and has filed a parole application on her behalf, which could allow her to remain in the country on renewable one-year terms, her lawyers said. Withholding of removal prevents deportation to a country where an individual may face persecution but does not grant permanent residency, leaving a prior removal order in place. Recent US policy shifts have expanded enforcement against individuals with such orders. Responding to queries from Texas Observer, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Batra has a final removal order from 2000 and said she would remain in custody pending removal while receiving due process. The spokesperson added that employment authorisation does not confer legal status. The government has been given time until April 21 to respond to the habeas petition. Batra’s lawyers have sought her immediate release, arguing that her detention violates due process protections. Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram