Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, May 3: An Indian-origin court interpreter has been released from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following weeks of legal proceedings that questioned the basis of her detention.
Meenu Batra, 53, who has lived in the United States for nearly 35 years and works in immigration courts interpreting Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, was released on April 30 after being held since mid-March.
Her detention began on March 17 when ICE officers stopped her at Valley International Airport in Texas while she was travelling for an assignment to Milwaukee. She was subsequently held at the El Valle Detention Facility in Raymondville.
During her time in custody, Batra described the experience as deeply distressing, saying she felt “humiliated and treated like a criminal.”
A federal judge later raised concerns over the legality of her detention, observing that she appeared to have been held without clear justification or adequate procedural safeguards. The court ordered her release and directed that she not be detained again without proper notice and due process.
Her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, said the court’s intervention confirmed that authorities cannot detain individuals without first following due legal process. He added that the ruling reaffirmed the requirement for notice and a fair hearing before any deprivation of liberty.
Ahluwalia also stated that Batra had already been granted parole shortly before the judge issued a temporary restraining order leading to her release.
According to immigration authorities, Batra had been subject to a final deportation order issued in 2000. Officials maintained that she originally entered the United States without legal authorization and argued that work permits do not constitute lawful immigration status.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said her detention was part of a targeted enforcement operation and reiterated that it would continue to pursue individuals with outstanding deportation orders.
However, her legal team argued that she had been living under “withholding of removal” protection, which allows individuals to remain and work in the US if deportation would expose them to harm, though it does not provide a path to citizenship.
The case has also drawn political attention, with US Congressman Joaquin Castro criticising her detention and describing her as a long-term resident and essential court interpreter whose work supports the justice system in Texas.