Indian-origin woman Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur, 60, was detained in the United States by immigration officers during the final round of her green card interview. Her daughter, Joti, has alleged that Kaur, who has been living in the US since 1994, was taken into custody during a biometric scan appointment related to her pending green card application.
According to reports, Kaur had an approved green card petition filed by her husband and another daughter. One of her daughters is a US citizen, while her husband holds a valid green card.
Joti told local media that her mother was arrested on December 1 at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office. Kaur was allowed to contact her attorney, Joti said.
The family remained unaware of Kaur’s whereabouts for several hours before learning that she had been transferred overnight to Adelanto, a converted federal prison now operating as an ICE detention facility, where she continues to be held.
After arriving in the US, Kaur’s family initially lived in Laguna Beach before moving to Long Beach in search of better employment opportunities in the Belmont Shore area. Kaur and her husband have three children: their 34-year-old daughter Joti, whose legal residency is protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, and two older siblings who are US citizens.
For over two decades, Kaur and her husband ran Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal, a restaurant on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, and became well-known members of the Long Beach community, according to reports.
She also worked for nearly 25 years at the local Belmont Shore Rite Aid before the pharmacy chain closed its remaining stores earlier this year. More recently, she had been preparing to return to the restaurant business at Royal Indian Curry House.
Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, whose district includes Long Beach, has called for Kaur’s release. His office confirmed it is in contact with federal authorities, while the family is pursuing additional legal filings that could secure her release on bond during the proceedings.
Family members say Kaur is being held in a dormitory-style facility at Adelanto along with several other detainees. According to the family, the lights remain on throughout the night and constant noise makes it difficult to rest, as reported by IndiaWest.
Although Kaur has been allowed family visits during designated hours, relatives claim they often have to wait an entire day for brief meetings.
“This has been a terrible ordeal. We are exhausting every option to secure her freedom. She shouldn’t be there. The conditions are deeply inhumane,” Joti said.
