A routine immigration appointment ended in shock for a Southern California family after a 60-year-old Indian-origin woman was taken into federal custody during the final steps of her green card process. Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur, who has lived in the United States for more than three decades, was detained by immigration authorities while attending a biometric scan linked to her pending permanent residency application.
According to her daughter Joti, who spoke to Long Beach Watchdog, Kaur was unaware that the appointment would result in her arrest, as per a report on NDTV. The incident has since raised concerns within the local community and among immigrant advocacy circles, given Kaur’s long-standing ties to Long Beach and her family’s legal immigration status.
Detention During Final Immigration Step
Kaur has resided in the US since 1994 and had already received approval for a green card petition filed by her daughter, a US citizen. Her husband is also a lawful permanent resident. On December 1, Kaur arrived at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office expecting to complete a standard biometric procedure.
While she was waiting at the front desk, multiple federal agents reportedly entered the facility. Kaur was summoned into a separate room, where officials informed her that she was under arrest. Though she was permitted a brief phone call to her attorney, she was not released and remained in custody.
For several hours following the arrest, her family was left without any information about where she had been taken. They later learned that Kaur had been transferred overnight to Adelanto, a former federal prison that now functions as an ICE detention centre.
Deep Roots In The Long Beach Community
Kaur’s story is closely intertwined with Long Beach’s Belmont Shore neighbourhood. Her family initially lived in Laguna Beach before settling in Long Beach, where they became familiar figures in the area. For over 20 years, Kaur and her husband operated Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal on 2nd Street, building a loyal customer base and earning recognition as “a cherished part of the Long Beach community.”
Beyond the restaurant business, Kaur spent roughly 25 years working at the Belmont Shore Rite Aid. Her tenure ended earlier this year when the pharmacy chain shut down its remaining stores. In recent months, she had been preparing to return to the food industry, with plans to work at Royal Indian Curry House.
Family Left In Limbo
Kaur and her husband have three children. Joti, now 34, holds legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, while her older brother and sister are US citizens. The family says the detention has caused emotional distress and uncertainty, particularly given that Kaur was nearing the conclusion of her green card process.
As Kaur remains in ICE custody, her case highlights the unpredictable nature of immigration enforcement and its impact on families who have spent decades building lives and businesses in the United States.
