Over 100 Indians Detained In U.S. Since 2013; On Hunger Strike

HOUSTON: Over 100 Indian youths - detained by U.S. authorities for allegedly entering the country illegally to seek asylum - are on a hunger strike.

The men, all hailing from Punjab, have been languishing in El Paso Processing Centre in Texas in miserable condition since last year, a non-profit group that has been providing the detainees with legal support told.

North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) said it has urged Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) authorities to immediately release the youths, currently on hunger strike.

In a statement, the group urged ICE Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas S Winkowski to release the men, said Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director, NAPA.

Chahal said the ICE is legally bound to release detainees as soon as they proved their true identities and reasons for seeking asylum in the U.S.

There is no evidence against any of the detainees held since last year, he said.

Two hunger strikers were recently hospitalised and many others are in danger, Chahal said, adding that NAPA has also learnt that ICE was on the verge of force-feeding striking detainees - a practice that the United Nations has termed as "torture".
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