In a major update related to the recent detention of three Indians in the United States, US federal judges in California have ordered immigration authorities to release the South Asian nationals. Branding the sweeping blow previously dealt by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers as unlawful, the rulings issued across separate cases in the Southern Districts of California offered much relief to the Indian trio.
The fresh developments pour in as the US remains divided over ICE enforcement operations across the country, but even more so in Minneapolis these past weeks. Thousands of planned weekend protests have made big headlines so far, as many protesters continue to challenge widespread immigration action, especially in the wake of Renee Good’s fatal shooting at the hands of an ICE agent earlier this month.
ICE detained 3 Indians as they were pursuing immigration relief
Federal judges in California have called out ICE officers for detaining three Indians – namely Harmeet S, Sawan K and Amit – without conducting proper hearings or offering formal notices to the people who had previously been allowed to live in the US, according to IANS.
As it so happened, all three cases involving Indian nationals saw them being released by American immigration authorities, only to be detained again as they were pursuing asylum or other immigration relief.
Who are the 3 Indians detained by ICE?
1. The first case pertains to a 21-year-old man named Harmeet S who entered the US in August 2022. US District Judge Troy L Nunley has since ordered his release, with the IANS report citing court records that suggest he was released as a minor under federal child protection laws.
The immigration case tied to Harmeet is still pending. Despite having no criminal history and complying with all conditions, Harmeet had to enroll in an alternatives-to-detention program run by the Department of Homeland Security.
His arrest made shocking news in November 2025, when he had come out for an in-person check-in with ICE. The federal authorities detained him without prior notice or clarification. Ultimately, the Indian man was forced to stay in custody for over a month without a bond hearing.
As a result, Judge Nunley asserted in the new ruling that Harmeet’s detention was likely in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause. Consequently, the court has stopped ICE from arresting him again without a proper notice and a hearing. Making way for his immediate release, the judge said that if authorities wanted to detain him in the future, they would have to provide proof that he poses a threat or is likely to flee.
2. The other ruling revolved around the release of Indian citizen Sawan K, who came to the US in September 2024. Court filing alluded to in the IANS report showed that Sawan was detained soon after he entered the country. He is also said to have claimed fear of political persecution in India.
While his asylum application was pending, ICE eventually released him. Subsequently, he stepped out for scheduled ICE check-ins, which resulted in him being detained once again in September 2025. This incident took place during a routine appointment, leaving Sawan in custody for four months without a warrant or hearing.
Judge Nunley has since declared that US immigration officials placed Sawan under mandatory detention rules even though they didn’t apply to his case. The court further established that Sawan had a right to a hearing and other safeguards. Much like Harmeet’s case, the judge has also blocked ICE from detaining Sawan again unless constitution requirements are fulfilled.
3. The third case is all about Amit, an Indian citizen detained at the Imperial Regional Detention Centre. He entered the country in September 2022. South California’s US District Judge Janis L Sammartino has since granted a writ habeas corpus for him.
Following his US entry, Amit was detained for a short period, but eventually released on an order of recognizance. After being released from custody, Amit went on to pursue employment opportunities while applying for asylum, as per IANS. He, too, doesn’t have any criminal record, as cited by court filings in the report.
In September 2025, immigration authorities nabbed Amit right outside his residence as he was waiting for transportation to work. The US judge has now ruled that the Indian man’s release was revoked without prior notice. Moreover, the case wasn’t even heard.
In this case, Judge Sammartino ordered Amit’s release. Immigration authorities have also been compelled to provide notice and a hearing before pursuing any future detention. They would also have to prove that Amit poses a danger or flight risk.
These separate court rulings have made crucial headlines for the Indian diaspora in the US around the same time as reports of two Indian students being detained at a Minnesota restaurant came to the surface. Visuals circulating on X this week indicated that both students had been employed at the St Louis Park establishment, which is also where they were taken into custody.