US officials hunt for illegal immigrants at gurdwaras

New York: Amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, law enforcement officials in the United States are reportedly doing recce of gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey to hunt for illegal immigrants. The action came as under the Trump administration, the US Department of Homeland Security revoked a Biden-era policy that prevented law enforcement in or near "sensitive" areas including places of worship.

The officials from the Department of Homeland Security are targeting gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey as they are allegedly being used as a hub by Sikh separatists along with illegal and undocumented immigrants. Within hours of Donald Trump being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, in a directive, rescinded the Biden administration's guidelines for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that thwart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.

“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens-including murders and rapists-who have illegally come into our country,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,” the spokesperson said.