Meenu Batra, a 53-year-old Indian-origin legal interpreter, has spent decades helping South Asian immigrants in US courtrooms. She is reportedly the only Texas court-certified interpreter fluent in Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, making her a critical link for many non-English-speaking defendants.
Batra was arrested on March 17 at Harlingen International Airport while travelling for a court assignment. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says she is subject to a final deportation order issued in 2000. Her lawyers, however, claim she has been living and working legally in the United States for years under a protection known as withholding of removal.
Legal status under dispute
Withholding of removal allows individuals to stay in the US if they face danger in their home country, but it does not grant permanent residency or citizenship. Batra, a Sikh, fled India after her parents were killed during anti-Sikh violence in the 1980s. Because she missed the one-year asylum deadline, she was granted this limited protection instead.
Government and legal positions clash
In a statement to CBS News, the US Department of Homeland Security described Batra as an “illegal alien,” adding that “employment authorization does not confer any type of legal status.” Officials said she will remain in custody while removal proceedings continue. Her lawyers strongly dispute this, saying she was never given proper notice of deportation and accusing authorities of detaining individuals without due process.
Concerns over detention conditions
Batra is currently being held at the El Valle Detention Center. Her legal team says she has not received consistent medical care following recent surgery, raising concerns about her wellbeing.
Over the past two decades, Batra built a career assisting immigrants in Texas courts, helping them understand complex legal proceedings in their native languages. Her lawyers say she chose to focus on immigrant clients after witnessing harsh detention conditions faced by vulnerable detainees.
Family and emotional toll
The case has drawn national attention partly due to her family’s situation. Her youngest son, Jasper, recently enlisted in the US Army and has filed a humanitarian parole request that could allow her to stay in the country temporarily. Speaking to CBS News, he said, “I thought, you know, I would serve my country and serve my people. But I didn’t know the people was everyone except my mom. I thought she was included, but I guess not.” Batra described the uncertainty of detention, saying, “Every single day, you can’t sleep because you’re afraid when you go to bed, where you’re going to wake up.”
Her legal team has filed a habeas corpus petition challenging her detention and is seeking to block any transfer to another facility, arguing it could affect her access to legal help and medical care. The Department of Homeland Security has until April 21 to respond, leaving her future uncertain.