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A Texas court interpreter who faced detention on immigration charges earlier this year has been released from ICE custody, her lawyer confirmed Thursday.
Meenu Batra, who has resided in the United States for approximately 35 years, holds a “withholding of removal” order, protecting her from deportation to India due to fears of persecution. Despite this, she was arrested on March 17 at Valley International Airport in Texas while traveling to Milwaukee for work.
Following her arrest, Batra was held at the El Valle Detention Facility in Raymondville. In a phone interview, she described feeling “humiliated and treated like a criminal” during her time in custody.
Her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, informed ABC News that the Department of Homeland Security granted Batra parole just two hours before a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order mandating her immediate release.
Judge Rolando Olvera, in his ruling, criticized the government for failing to provide any explanation for her detention after 25 years of lawful presence. He noted that Batra was “afforded no procedural protection” prior to her arrest and detention.
The judge highlighted the absence of any change in circumstances that might justify her detention and the lack of any country to which she could be deported, considering her withholding of removal status for India.
Batra, 53, is a single mother of four adult children who are U.S. citizens and has served as a certified court interpreter for over two decades.
In his order, Judge Olvera also prohibited the government from detaining Batra again without providing clear notice of the reasons and adequate time for her to respond.
Ahluwalia emphasized the importance of due process, stating, “The government cannot detain people first and justify it later. The Court has made clear that due process is not optional.”
Under U.S. immigration law, withholding of removal protects individuals from being sent back to their home country and grants them the right to remain and work legally in the U.S., although it does not provide a path to citizenship or allow them to petition for family members to join them.
This case draws attention to broader concerns raised by immigrant advocates and legal experts about enforcement actions that may disregard legal protections, especially amid ongoing immigration crackdowns.
Ahluwalia noted, “This case is not just about Meenu. It reflects a troubling pattern of enforcement that ignores basic legal rights. The Constitution applies to everyone on U.S. soil.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to requests for comment.