Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old legal resident of the US and an Indian passport holder, has been detained by US immigration authorities for over two months. Singh, who lives in Indiana with his American citizen wife and two children, is battling a brain tumor and a heart condition.
He was detained at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 30th upon his return from India. Immigration authorities cite two old cases from the late 1990s and 2008 as reasons for his detention, though his family and lawyer state there are no active legal issues against him. They claim these old cases are being used to delay his release and that he is not receiving the necessary medical treatment, only basic check-ups.
Singh’s lawyer, Louis Angeles, stated that his client is not receiving adequate medical attention and that they are pursuing legal action to prevent his deportation and challenge his detention, calling the situation “unethical.” The family is concerned about his health, particularly as his planned second brain tumor surgery has been postponed due to his detention.
The family also suspects a case of mistaken identity, as a private investigator found no criminal record matching Paramjit Singh for a forgery offense in Illinois in 2008, which authorities are using to block his release on a $10,000 bond granted by an immigration judge. The BBC has reached out to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment on these allegations.
Singh’s case comes at a time of increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Recently, a 73-year-old Sikh grandmother who had lived in the US for over three decades was deported to India, sparking outrage within the Sikh community.
Paramjit Singh’s next court hearing is scheduled for October 14th.