"San Jose is home to the largest Sikh temple - or gurdwara - in the U.S., and for decades, it has been a place of sanctuary and refuge. But lately, another feeling has settled in for worshippers: fear.ICE enforcement has ramped up over the past year, with some of the sharpest increases in California. And Sikhs, many who are from the Indian state of Punjab, worry their sacred spaces could become targets."
"Charles Evans calls himself a "World War II baby." He was born in Richmond, CA to parents who moved to the Bay Area from Arkansas, part of a migration of African Americans west to work in the shipyards. His dad created BBQ pits out of washing machines and refrigerators in their backyard. His mom insisted all of her kids learn to cook, clean, and sew."
San Jose houses the largest Sikh gurdwara in the United States, historically a sanctuary now marked by rising fear among worshippers. ICE enforcement increased significantly over the past year, with some of the sharpest rises in California, producing worries that sacred spaces could be targeted. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 35,000 apprehensions of people from India at the border this year. Language barriers limit Sikh immigrants' access to healthcare and services. Faith serves as a source of hope for Sikhs in detention. A separate community profile shows CJ's BBQ and Fish in Richmond rooted in Black migration history, family culinary traditions, and community refuge.
Read at Kqed
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