Highlights:
Bubbly Kaur, a 60-year-old woman of Indian origin, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what was supposed to be the final step of her Green Card process in Long Island. The incident has stunned her family, who say they were completely unprepared for the arrest.
Kaur has lived in the United States since 1994. She and her husband once ran a restaurant called Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal in Long Beach, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple raised three children in the US. Her elder son and daughter are US citizens, while her youngest daughter, Joti, has legal protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
According to the family, Kaur had an approved Green Card petition filed by her elder daughter and son-in-law. She recently went to an immigration office for biometrics, a routine appointment that usually marks the final stage of the Green Card process.
Joti described the experience as terrifying. She said that while her mother was standing at the front desk, two vehicles arrived outside and several federal agents entered the building. Kaur was called into a room where the agents went and was informed that she was being arrested.
Kaur asked to speak with her attorney and was allowed a phone call that lasted about eight minutes. Despite this, she was still taken into custody. Joti said the family was not clearly told where her mother would be taken.
ICE agents reportedly said she might be transported to Santa Ana or Los Angeles, leaving the family in distress for hours.
Later, the family learned that Kaur had been taken to a detention facility in Los Angeles. Joti said her mother was extremely frightened and was placed in a van with several men. Her hands and feet were shackled during transport.
The family emphasized that Kaur has no criminal record and has lived peacefully in the US for more than three decades.
Long Beach Congressman Robert Garcia strongly criticized ICE’s actions. In a public statement, he said his office is in contact with the family and is working to secure Kaur’s release. He called the detention “horrific” and said such actions terrorize hardworking people who contribute positively to their communities.
Garcia urged the public to speak up and continue sharing Kaur’s story, stressing the need to fight for her freedom and accountability in immigration enforcement.
