Indian-origin Babblejit ‘Bubbly’ Kaur, 60, has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The Kaur family is a well-known name in Long Beach’s restaurant community. Kaur, who has been living in the US since 1994, was taken into custody on December 1 during a biometric scan for her pending Green Card application, according to a report by Long Beach Watchdog.
Babblejit ‘Bubbly’ Kaur Detained During Final Immigration Process
According to her daughter, Joti, Kaur was at the front desk of the ICE office on December 1 when several federal agents entered the building. Shortly after, Kaur was called into the room where the agents had gone and was informed that she was being arrested.
“She was really scared,” Joti told Long Beach Watchdog, recalling the moment her mother was detained.
“We have heard stories of people who just go completely missing, so we were nervous that something like that could happen.”
Joti said her mother was then loaded into a van filled with men, with her hands and feet shackled, a detail that underscored the family’s distress and fear over her sudden detention.
The Kaur Family in Long Beach
The Kaur family, originally from India, first settled in Laguna Beach in 1994, where a family member, Singh, worked at Natraj Indian Bistro & Bar. When the company required support at its Long Beach location, the family relocated.
For more than two decades, Singh and Bubbly Kaur ran Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, earning a reputation as a beloved fixture in the local community.
“A cherished part of the Long Beach community,” wrote Vanessa Auclair, co-owner of Panxa and a close family friend, in a GoFundMe campaign she launched to support the family following Kaur’s detention.
Who is Babblejit ‘Bubbly’ Kaur?
While the family was born in India, their immigration statuses vary. Joti’s older brother, 41, and sister, 38, are both US citizens. Joti herself has legal status after spending years under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme.
Beyond the family restaurant, Kaur also worked for approximately 25 years at the Belmont Shore Rite Aid until the pharmacy chain shut down its remaining locations earlier this year.
Kaur’s detention, however, came despite her being in the final stages of her Green Card application.
Since being detained, Kaur has been allowed to meet family members only during restricted visiting hours. According to the family, the process often requires waiting an entire day for what amounts to a brief visit.
Describing the emotional toll, Joti said the family has been exhausting every possible option to secure her mother’s release.
“It’s been a nightmare,” she said. “We’re trying anything and everything to get her out. She doesn’t belong there. It’s so inhumane.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
