The story was first shared in the Long Beach Food Scene group. After that, Congressman Robert Garcis became involved. And a story that, at first, captivated the Long Beach food community, then caught the world’s attention. From the Los Angeles Times to the Times of India.
And now, Babbljit “Bubbly” Kaur, the charming woman who founded Natraj in Belmont Shore and is currently working to open Royal Indian Curry House in DTLB, has returned home after being detained by ICE during an immigration appointment.
“Bubbly has been released from ICE detention and is home with her family,” her son, Harman Singh, said. “Our family owes an immense debt of gratitude to the community that came together and helped spread the word about our mom’s unlawful arrest. From signing petitions, sharing her story, donating, and sending messages of love. Every single effort mattered. Your support made an immeasurable difference and reminded us we were not alone in this fight.”
Bubbly Kaur was and remains a loved figure in the Long Beach food community—and was kidnapped by ICE for doing exactly what she was supposed to do.
For nearly three decades, Bubbly Kaur has called the United States home. Since arriving in 1994—fleeing what was largely violent anti-Sikh persecution in India—she built a life in Long Beach alongside her family. And that included navigating a grueling asylum process—something many “do it the right way” anti-immigration supporters lack knowledge about—while building a life from scratch. This included running the beloved Natraj Cuisine of India and Nepal with her husband, Amarjit Singh—a neighborhood restaurant that fed the community until the pandemic upended everything. Last week, that long arc toward permanence was violently interrupted.
Her and Amarjit had just celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary in Long Beach when their lives were abruptly upended on Dec. 1. Bubbly was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during what her family believed was a routine fingerprinting appointment tied to the final stages of her green card process.
The detention came during an already brutal year: Singh was undergoing cancer treatment, and Bubbly had recently lost her longtime job at Rite Aid following store closures. Her sudden transfer to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center left the family reeling, scrambling to manage medical care, finances, and the emotional shock of her absence.
Dark moments and the weight of absence: Bubbly and her famly remain isolated and confused.
“I am struggling,” her daughter Joti texted me. “She begged me last night to get her out of there. And it keeps repeating over and over. I feel like a little kid who just wants her mom. And every time I think about what she’s going through, I completely fall apart.”
Inside Adelanto, Bubbly struggled with sleepless nights under constant fluorescent lights, yet found solidarity among other detained women, forming bonds through shared prayer, conversation, and small rituals like rationing milk for tea. For her children, the separation feels like a prolonged mourning—one where their mother is still alive, yet unreachable. Her story, they say, echoes far beyond their family, mirroring the fear and uncertainty now felt across immigrant communities nationwide, including those who believed they had finally done everything “the right way.”
In the days that followed, her family was left largely in the dark. ICE officials offered only vague answers, even about where she was being taken initially: Possibly Santa Ana. Possibly Los Angeles…
It was, in all frankness, the Long Beach community that rose up to get Bubbly Kaur back home.
This story is not about me but I am honored it involves me. Longtime friend and Panxa Cocina owner Vanessa Auclair messaged me: “My bestie’s mom was picked up by ICE. What can we do?” It turns out the mom was my neighborhood Rite Aide clerk, whom I had been speaking with weekly on her newest restaurant endeavor, Royal Indian Curry House.
From what was first a message in my group and a GoFundMe headed by Vanessa, grew into something much bigger with the wrath of the Long Beach food community leading it. Congressman Robert Garcia immediately texted, asking for a direct contact with the family.
From there, outrage and awareness grew. Local media picked up the story. Then national media. Then international. Long Beach Congressman Robert Garcia publicly condemned the detention, calling it part of a broader pattern of cruelty.
“These horrific actions continue to terrorize hardworking and good people who are trying to make our community a better place,” Garcia said.
For many in Long Beach, Bubbly Kaur’s story is not an abstraction. It’s the story of a neighbor. A restaurant owner. An entrepreneur. A friend. A mother. All caught in an immigration system that too often treats rooted lives as disposable, even when they are “doing it the right way.”
More gratitude flows from the Kaur family…
In further words from Harman:
“Hearing about the community’s outreach was the first time we saw mom smile. She’s resting now, FaceTiming her grandkids, and slowly finding her footing again after what was a deeply traumatic experience, both physically and emotionally. We’re giving her the time and space she needs to heal.
“Thank you to our family and friends.
“Thank you to the Long Beach community.
“Thank you to our legal team.
“Thank you to Congressman Robert Garcia and his office.
“Thank you to people power; this would not have been possible without you.”
