Meenu Batra, a long-term U.S. resident of Indian origin, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at a Texas airport on March 17 while traveling to Wisconsin for work and held for more than six weeks. Batra, who has lived in the United States since 1991 after fleeing Punjab following the killings of her parents, had been granted court-ordered protection from deportation to India in 2000 due to fear of persecution and has since worked legally as a court interpreter fluent in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi and English.

ICE claimed she was residing in the U.S. illegally and sought to deport her to a third country, not India, under policies enforced during the Trump administration. A federal court recently questioned the legality of her detention, leading to her release.

Batra, a single mother of four including a U.S. Army soldier, told CBS News she now lives in fear of re-arrest despite having committed no crime. 'I hate to admit it,' she said, describing how she constantly looked over her shoulder while grocery shopping in her own town.

Her attorney, Deepak Ahluwalia, confirmed they are seeking military parole for Batra based on her son's active-duty service and plan to apply for a Green Card later this year. The court will review her immigration status in upcoming proceedings.