As the United States tightens its crackdown on illegal immigration, a new incident has been reported. On December 1, an Indian-origin woman was deported during an immigration appointment.
Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur, 60, has lived in the United States for more than three decades and is a well-known and respected member of the Long Beach, California, community.
Kaur came to the US in 1994 and later became a co-owner of Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal, a popular restaurant in Belmont Shore. She and her husband ran the restaurant for over two decades before it shut during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She has no criminal record. Her family includes three children, two of whom are US citizens. Her daughter, Joti Kaur, lives legally in the US under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme.
Why was she detained by ICE?
On December 1, Kaur went to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office for what her family believed was a routine biometrics appointment. This appointment was linked to her pending green card application. According to her family, her green card petition had already been approved through sponsorship by her US citizen daughter and son-in-law. They believed this was one of the final administrative steps before she became a permanent resident. However, during the appointment, things took an unexpected turn. According to her daughter, after Kaur entered the interview room, she was told she was under arrest. Kaur was allowed a short phone call to her lawyer before being taken away by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
‘She was really scared’
Joti said her mother was placed in a van with other detainees, with her hands and feet shackled.“She was really scared,” Joti said. For several hours, the family did not know where Kaur had been taken. Officials gave them only vague information. Later, the family found her name using the ICE detainee locator system. She was first held in Los Angeles and then transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center near Victorville, a remote detention facility in California’s High Desert.
“It’s been a nightmare,” Joti said. The family has since been able to speak to Kaur by phone and visit her, but they say the detention has caused severe emotional stress.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not given any official reason for Kaur’s detention, despite questions from the media. People close to the family believe the case may be linked to old immigration status issues, which can sometimes surface even after many years. Congressman Robert Garcia, whose district includes Long Beach, said he is in touch with the family. He called the detention “horrific” and said there needs to be more oversight of immigration enforcement.
A larger pattern: Indians being detained and deported
Since 2009, the US has deported around 18,822 Indian nationals. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, 5,541 Indians were deported, with numbers rising sharply after 2024. According to Ministry of External Affairs, the US deported a record 3,258 Indian nationals in 2025 as of November 28. This is the highest annual figure in 15 years. Many deportees have reported harsh treatment, including being shackled during transport. Deportations are carried out through a mix of commercial flights and US-chartered flights.