(Image source from: Economictimes.indiatimes.com)

Amid President Donald Trump's migration crackdown, U.S. law enforcement officials are reportedly monitoring Gurdwara in New York and New Jersey to search for illegal immigrants. The move comes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as part of the Trump administration, canceled the Biden directive that prevented law enforcement in "sensitive" or almost, including religious services. According to a report published by Press Trust of India, domestic security officials are shutting down Gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey because they believe Sikh separatists and illegal immigrants are using them. Hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the forty-seventh U.S. President, Benjamin Hoffman, head of the Department of Homeland Security, issued instructions to implement Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection laws. Law enforcement agencies in or near the so-called "sensitive" areas.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement: "It gives credit to the brave men and women of CBP and Ice to enforce our immigration laws and stop criminal aliens, including murderers and invaders, who have arrived in our country illegally." The "Criminals can no longer hide to avoid arrest in American schools and churches," the spokesman said. The move sparked strong reaction from some Sikh organizations, which see these measures as a threat to the sanctity of the religion the Sikh America's Legal and Educational Defense Fund (SALDF) raised serious concerns about the guidelines for eliminating instructions that included "sensitive areas" such as places of worship that had previously restricted migration.

"This alarming change in politics coincides with community reports on DHS employees who visited Gurdwaras in the New York and New Jersey area, just a few days after the issue was issued," said Saldf. Saldef Managing Director Kiran Kaur Gill said: "We are deeply concerned about the decision of the Ministry of Homeland Protection, protecting protective measures from sensitive areas and looking towards cult sites such as Gurdwaras." Mr. Gill said that a Gurdwara is more than a place of worship. These are important community centers that offer Sikhs and the entire community support, food and spiritual consolation. He added: "The threat of these rooms threatens the holiness of our faith and sends a heartbreaking message to immigrant communities across the country." The Sikh coalition said the decision of the Trump government, the directive of the Ministry of Homeland for "Protection Areas" (to the Hospitals, schools, social service providers, etc.) could also be lifted, could lead to surveillance by civil servants from the immigration and customs authority (ICE). To be that opens the way for investigations and arrests. And attacked the Gurudwara".

The idea that our Gurdwaras with or without an arrest warrant could be exposed to monitoring or raids by armed law enforcement authorities is unacceptable for traditional Sikhs, said the Sikh Federation and would burden its religious practices "together with our faith". "It also reminds of a dark age in our collective memory, as the government interventions in the ability of the Sikhs to freely exercise their beliefs, had fatal consequences," the explanation said. "If Sikhs are interested in attacking or monitoring a Gurdwara, whether documented or not, the Gurdwara will probably be affected by a lower number of visitors, so that it may not be possible to implement this sensibly." Sikh Federation said.