Long Beach, California, USA: A 60-year-old woman from Long Beach was taken into custody by U.S. immigration officials earlier this month while attending a routine appointment connected to her green card application, her family has confirmed.
Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur was detained on December 1 after arriving for a scheduled biometric screening, according to her daughter, Joti Kaur. The appointment was a required step in the process of adjusting her immigration status through a family-sponsored application that had already received approval.
Relatives state that Kaur has valid immigration petitions submitted by both her U.S. citizen daughter and her husband, who holds lawful permanent resident status. Authorities have not publicly explained why she was detained.
By using the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee tracking system, the family initially located her at a facility in the Los Angeles region. She was later moved to the Adelanto ICE Processing Centre, located in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles.
Family members emphasise that Kaur has no criminal history. Requests for clarification sent to the Department of Homeland Security by local news outlets have gone unanswered.
According to her relatives, Kaur has lived in the United States since 1994. She and her husband previously ran Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal, a well-known restaurant in the Belmont Shore area, for more than two decades. In addition, Kaur spent nearly 25 years working at a nearby Rite Aid store before several locations were shut down.
Her detention has drawn attention from local officials. The office of U.S. Representative Robert Garcia confirmed that it has formally requested her release. Meanwhile, the family is reviewing legal avenues that may allow her to be freed on bond.
A GoFundMe fundraiser launched by friends and supporters has collected over $26,000 to assist with attorney costs, commissary needs, and communication expenses while Kaur remains held at the Adelanto facility.
As of now, Kaur continues to be in ICE custody. Officials have not announced any hearing dates or provided an estimated timeframe for a potential release.
