Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old Indian-origin permanent resident who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years, remains in an ICE detention centre after being arrested at Chicago O’Hare Airport on July 30 when he returned from India. Singh is suffering from a brain tumour and a heart condition, and his family says he is not receiving the medical treatment he needs while in custody.
Singh’s lawyer has said that inside the detention facility he is being given only routine medical check-ups rather than the specialised care required for his conditions, and that a second brain-tumour surgery has been delayed as a result. The family has argued that prolonged detention is endangering his health and is taking legal steps to block any deportation.
The detention stems from an old conviction in 1999 for using a public phone without paying, for which court records show Singh served 10 days in prison and paid a fine of USD 4,137.50. That conviction reportedly prevented him from obtaining US citizenship, even though he continued to live in the country as a green card holder.
US immigration authorities have also cited an alleged forgery conviction in Illinois in 2008, a charge the family disputes.
Relatives say that the 2008 forgery case was invoked to stay Singh’s release on a USD 10,000 bond that an immigration judge had granted. The family commissioned a private investigator who could not find any criminal record for a person named Paramjit Singh in Illinois, and they contend that old cases are being used to delay his release despite his serious medical needs.
The family is pursuing legal remedies in the US to prevent deportation and to secure necessary medical care. They say authorities have so far not provided the level of treatment required for his complex conditions.
The case comes amid wider concern over the treatment of Indian nationals in US immigration custody. Last month, for example, Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother with five US resident grandchildren, was detained in the United States and later deported to India after an extended period in custody during which she lacked adequate food and medicines. She was among more than 2,400 Indians deported since a tightening of immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration.
Singh’s family and legal team say they are continuing to press US authorities and the courts for urgent medical intervention and for a resolution that will allow him to receive appropriate treatment without the risk of deportation while his health is at stake.
