“This troubling shift in policy comes in tandem with community reports of DHS agents visiting gurdwaras in the New York and New Jersey areas just days after the directive was issued,” SALDF said.Gill said these actions threatened the “sanctity” of the Sikh faith and sent a “chilling message” to immigrant communities in the US.The Sikh Coalition said the new directive would limit the ability of Sikhs to gather and associate with one another per their faith. “The idea that our gurdwaras could be subject to government surveillance and raids by armed law enforcement with or without warrants is unacceptable to the Sikh faith tradition,” it said.“If Sikhs—whether documented or undocumented—are concerned with gurdwara raids and surveillance, gurdwaras may well be impacted by decreased attendance, and thus an inability to carry out essential religious practices in a meaningful manner,” Sikh Coalition added.(With inputs from PTI)
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