NAPA takes up issue of Punjabi detainees with US Senator Ron Wyden

JALANDHAR: A delegation of North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) led by its State Chairman Bahadur Singh had a hour-long meeting with Senator Ron Wyden in Portland city of Oregon State in US to discuss the release of 52 Punjabi detainees from Oregon Jails and 70 Punjabi detainees from Otero Processing center in Texas State at Immigration and Refugee Community event on Friday where the various community representatives also shared their concerns about the social and political injustices that they face.
Representatives of Sikh Seva Foundation and Ghadar Memorial Foundation were also present in the meeting. Bahadur Singh shared his concerns about the detainees, who despite court orders, are not being able to get access to their lawyers in person or through hotlines set up by them. He also said that prison authorities were creating situations under which the detainees were coerced to either give a statement with or without legal representation or drop the asylum case altogether. He further said that after the current president took office, the hate crimes in America were on the rise.
He also shared concerns on behalf of immigrants, who are awaiting the renewal of their work permits. NAPA leader also held that these people were fearful that they might not be allowed to extend their work authorization in the United States. Sat Hanuman Singh Khalsa spoke about the history of religious freedom in the United States at the event and tied it up with the current socio-political scenario. Other NAPA leaders Gurjit Singh, and Navneet Kaur were also present at the event.