Long Beach California: Legal Eagles Consulting Service formerly dealing exclusively in mass broadened its horizons by actively “participating in immigration cases. “The firm has successfully obtained Political asylum for six Indian nationals from Punjab with others pending. In addition to this they have caused the release on bond of over one hundred various individuals held in exclusion by the INS.

The driving force behind this successful venture is Ms Amrita “Bedi-Holden who with her husband William Holden formed the company seven years ago. Ms. “Bedi-Holden was born in India to parents from a long line of active Sikhs. She immigrated to the United States with her family as a very young child. She is now a U.S. citizen with all of the rights and privileges thereto.

When Ms Bedi-Holden became aware of the desperate plight of the Sikh people who are so oppressed by the Indian government that they have fled their country she placed the resources of Legal Eagles Consulting Services into the fray to help those individuals

It has not been an easy job. The Immigration and Naturalization Service requires strong proof of persecution to grant political asylum. Many times getting this proof is made difficult by the very fact that the person who has fled and is now being detained by the INS cannot readily communicate with relatives and others still in India. It is necessary to be very careful in collecting data and other proof of the intolerable conditions from which the person has fled so as not to endanger those left behind.

Legal Eagles has put together a large and competent staff of multilingual persons who can communicate with the refugee and with family and friends here in the U.S.

While the results have been gratifying Ms. Bedi-Holden and her staff are continually reminded of the horror from which these people have fled. The stories of torture murder extortion repression rape and intimidation are constantly being recited and added to the files

One of the first things Legal Eagles Consul ling Services does after the Preliminary formalities of a first hearing is to attempt to arrange bond for the detainee. These people have suffered so much that it is important to get them free from the confinement of the detention center ag soon as possible. Another reason for this is that the procedures of the INS take time. Months may go by between the first hearing and the final “Merits Hearing”. It is inhumane for a Person particularly a Sikh who has spent most of his life in the outdoors to remain locked up for so long.

One result of working on these cases has been for the staff to become more aware of the terrible Conditions these people have been forced to bear This is no academic exercise in the concept of man’s inhumanity to man. This is the real thing.

Among those granted political asylum is Vasu He testified as to how he was born and I raised as a Sikh in District Phagra Punjab. While attending school as a teenager he engaged in dissident Politics. When he grew older he moderated his politics and attempted to pursue a business career. As a Sikh he was a marked man and was constantly abused by those of the Hindu majority. When he became moderately successful as a businessman he found himself a victim of extortion by terrorists who threatened destruction of his store He paid “protection” and the threats escalated first on his life and then his family’s life.

He went to the police to complain. They arrested and jailed him. While incarcerated he was beaten and tortured. He bears the scars to this day.

He closed his business and went to work for his father. A short time later the terrorist’s extortionist’s thugs found him again. Death threats were made. It was at this time that with his family concurring he fled the country.

Vasu was granted asylum on February 7 1992.

Perhaps one of the more eloquent cases to be granted asylum occurred recently Legal Eagles had to handle this case with the aid of another attorney in Texas where the detainee was sent by the INS His is a story of beating and extortion at the hands of the police and then counter threats and extortion at the hands of terrorists militants.

he police tried to force him to act as an informant against the militants. If he did that the militants would kill him. He refused. Then the police came to his house and beat him and told him they would kill him if he did not cooperate. Without time to say “goodbye” he fled the country.

The following letter from his mother was used by Legal Eagles Consulting Service at the time of the “Merits Hearing.” It is this letter that so eloquently states the case in Punjab today.

Dear Son Lots of Love and Blessings.

Yesterday I was greatly pleased to get your letter. I went to get some greens from near the gate. I could not believe that it was a letter from you and that too from America. Ever since that day you took off from here I have been thinking maybe the police got you again. Well I am not worried about you anymore. I used to wonder if you were alive or not Police are bothering USA lot. The same week that you left they came and arrested your Dad. I gave 10000 Rupees to the Police Inspector to get him out. And then police came to our house and arrested your brothers. They were beaten right before my eyes. They had to stay in the hospital for 16 days. They are still not well. All this was done so that we would tell them your whereabouts.

Son I am writing to you all this please do not come back to Punjab not even by mistake Your life is in great danger The Police Inspector comes to our house 2-3 limes a week Police threatening us by saying that the day the police get you they are going to kill you. Due to worrying about you your Dad is in bad shape He cries a lot and wonders why you had to run from the police. Son please never comes back to Punjab. Please appeal to the people over there (U.S.A) on my behalf to save your life. Your shop was robbed and Put on fire. Your accountant was arrested by the police and shot to death in a fake encounter near your shop. Your brothers are both living in hiding. They come to see me about once a month during the night time doesn’t worry about us. Please don’t come to Punjab. God bless you Your Mom

This man received political asylum in March of this year. Legal Eagles expects to gain the freedom of many more people in short order. The cases are filed and the time constraints have been met so that “Merits Hearings” will become much more frequent. Legal Eagles can be reached at:

Legal Eagles Consulting Service One World Trade Center Suite 1580 Long Beach Ca 90831 1-800-2ASYLUM 310-499-2190

Article extracted from this publication >> May 1, 1992