60-yr-old Indian-origin woman detained in US during final green card interview

A 60-year-old woman of Indian origin who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades was detained by immigration authorities during what was expected to be the final stage of her green card process. Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur, a US resident since 1994, was taken into custody by federal officers while attending a biometric scan appointment linked to her pending green card application, according to her daughter, Joti.

Kaur already has an approved green card petition filed by her other daughter, who is a US citizen, as well as support from her husband, a lawful permanent resident, a report by Long Beach Watchdog said.

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Joti told the publication that on December 1, her mother arrived at the front desk of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office for her scheduled appointment. While she was there, several federal agents entered the building. Kaur was then called into a separate room where the agents were present and was informed that she was under arrest.

Although Kaur was allowed to make a phone call to her lawyer, she was not released and remained in custody, her daughter said. For several hours afterward, the family had no information about where she had been taken. They later found out that Kaur had been moved overnight to Adelanto, a former federal prison that now operates as an ICE detention facility, where she is currently being held.

After moving to the United States, Kaur and her family initially lived in Laguna Beach before later relocating to Long Beach due to work opportunities in the Belmont Shore area. Kaur and her husband are parents to three children. Their daughter Joti, 34, has legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, while their older son and daughter are both US citizens.

For more than 20 years, Kaur and her husband ran a restaurant, Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal, located on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore. The eatery became well known in the area and was considered an important part of the local Long Beach community, the report noted.

In addition to running the restaurant, Kaur worked for nearly 25 years at the Belmont Shore Rite Aid. That job ended earlier this year when the pharmacy chain shut down its remaining stores. Recently, she had been making plans to return to the restaurant business and was preparing to start work at Royal Indian Curry House.

Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia, who represents the Long Beach area, has publicly urged authorities to release Kaur. His office said he has been communicating with federal agencies about the case, while Kaur’s family works on additional legal filings that could make her eligible for release on bond as the case moves forward.

Family members say Kaur is being kept in a large dormitory-style room at the Adelanto facility along with many other detainees. The lights reportedly stay on throughout the night, and constant noise makes it difficult for her to rest, the family told IndiaWest.

Kaur has been able to see relatives during limited visiting hours, but the process often involves waiting most of the day for only a short meeting. “This has been a nightmare,” Joti said. “We are trying every possible option to bring her home. She should not be there. The conditions are extremely inhumane.”