Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur, a 60-year-old Indian-origin woman who has lived in the United States for more than three decades, was detained by US immigration authorities on December 1 while attending what was supposed to be the final procedural step in her Green Card application. The incident has left her family shocked and distressed, turning a long-awaited moment of legal certainty into what they describe as a traumatic ordeal.
According to a report by Long Beach Watchdog, Kaur was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a biometric scan appointment linked to her pending Green Card. The detention occurred amid a wider immigration crackdown under former President Donald Trump’s policies, which have led to heightened enforcement actions across the country. For the Kaur family, who are well known in Long Beach’s restaurant community, the sudden arrest marked the beginning of what they call a living nightmare.
Recounting the experience, Kaur’s 34-year-old daughter, Joti, said her mother was abruptly detained and placed into a van filled with male detainees. She alleged that her mother’s hands and feet were shackled during the transfer, leaving her frightened and confused. Joti said the family feared the worst, recalling stories of individuals who were detained and seemingly disappeared into the immigration system without their families knowing where they were taken.
“She was really scared,” Joti said. “We have heard stories of people who just go completely missing, so we were terrified that something like that could happen to her.”
The US Department of Homeland Security has not publicly clarified the reasons behind Kaur’s detention, despite repeated requests for information from the family and local representatives.
Kaur and her family have deep roots in Southern California. They moved to the United States in 1994, initially settling in Laguna Beach. For more than 20 years, Kaur and her husband ran Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal in Long Beach, becoming well-known and respected figures in the local community. The restaurant operated until the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the hospitality sector. In recent years, Kaur had been working with the owner of the Royal Indian Curry House.
The family includes three children, all of whom have grown up in the US. Kaur’s Green Card application had already been approved through sponsorship by her US citizen daughter and son-in-law, and the December 1 appointment was meant to be the final biometric step required for permanent residency.
Joti recalled that her mother had felt uneasy about the appointment throughout the day. When Kaur arrived at the office and approached the front desk, two vehicles reportedly pulled up outside. Several federal agents exited the cars and went into a back room. Shortly thereafter, Kaur was asked to enter the same room, where agents informed her that she was being placed under arrest. Joti emphasised that her mother has no criminal history and has lived peacefully in the US for decades.
Initially, the family was not told where Kaur had been taken. Only after several anxious hours did they learn that she had been transferred to a detention centre in Los Angeles. At the facility, Joti said her mother was held in a crowded room with more than two dozen other detainees under harsh conditions.
“She’s not sleeping well at all,” Joti said. “The lights are never turned off at night, and there’s constant noise. There’s always someone crying, screaming, or wailing. It’s extremely distressing.”
The case has drawn the attention of local political leaders. Long Beach Congressman Robert Garcia issued a statement condemning the detention and said his office was actively working to secure Kaur’s release.
“We are going to do everything we can to bring her home,” Garcia said. “These horrific actions continue to terrorise hardworking, law-abiding people who are trying to contribute positively to our community.”
For the Kaur family, the episode has shattered their sense of security after nearly 30 years in the United States, leaving them grappling with uncertainty and fear as they await clarity on Kaur’s legal status and future.
