Indiana/Chicago – The family of Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old U.S. green card holder battling a brain tumour and a heart condition, has accused U.S. immigration authorities of denying him adequate medical treatment during his detention, while he faces the threat of deportation over decades-old legal cases. Singh, who has lived in the United States since 1994 and resides in Indiana with his wife and two children—both U.S. citizens—was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 30 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport upon returning from a trip to India. He has now spent more than two months in immigration custody.
According to his family and attorney Louis Angeles, Singh is receiving only basic medical check-ups despite his serious health conditions, and his second brain tumour surgery has been delayed because of his detention. “Paramjit Singh is not getting the medical help he needs. He is only getting medical check-ups,” Angeles told the BBC. Singh’s family says his condition has deteriorated, and limited phone access at the detention centre has made communication extremely difficult.
ICE has cited two old legal cases as justification for detaining Singh. One is a 1999 incident involving the use of a public phone without payment, for which he served 10 days in prison and paid a $4,137.50 fine. The conviction has long prevented him from obtaining U.S. citizenship. At a recent hearing, immigration authorities reportedly claimed that Singh still faced a one-and-a-half-year sentence, with only 10 days served—a claim his family disputes. The second alleged case involves a 2008 forgery conviction in Illinois, but Singh’s family says no such charges exist. A private investigator hired by the family found no criminal records under Singh’s name in Illinois, raising concerns that authorities may have confused him with someone else.
Singh was initially held at O’Hare Airport for five days despite family appeals, before being transferred to Clay County Detention Centre in Indiana. An immigration judge granted him release on a $10,000 bond, but ICE cited the alleged forgery case to block his release. His case is scheduled for hearing on October 14.
Singh’s detention comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which has intensified efforts to deport both undocumented immigrants and legal residents with past convictions. Trump has said his goal is to deport the “worst of the worst,” but critics argue that long-term residents with no recent criminal activity are also being swept up. In September, the deportation of Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother who had lived in the U.S. for more than three decades, sparked anger within the Sikh community.
Singh’s lawyer has called the detention “unethical” and is pursuing legal measures to block his deportation. His family has urged authorities to release him on medical and humanitarian grounds, warning that delays to his treatment could have life-threatening consequences. ICE has not yet responded to BBC’s requests for comment on the allegations regarding Singh’s medical care and the disputed forgery case.