Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old Sikh man battling a brain tumour and heart condition, is being held in a US immigration detention centre after being detained upon returning from India.
Mr. Singh, who has lived in the US as a green card holder since 1994, was apprehended at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on July 30th. He now faces the threat of deportation.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has pointed to two decades-old cases as the basis for his detention, but his family and lawyer contest that there is no active legal action against him.
His lawyer, Louis Angeles, has raised serious concerns regarding Singh's health, stating, Paramjit Singh is not getting the medical help he needs. He is only getting medical check-ups. ICE has yet to respond to these claims.
Mr. Singh, whose family operates a chain of gas stations in Indiana, is facing distress from his detention, especially as necessary surgeries for his condition have been postponed, alarming his family.
His niece, Kiran Virk, expressed frustration over the lack of clarity regarding detention reasons, recounting how Singh has visited India many times without similar issues. She indicated his previous convictions, one from 1999 related to using a public phone without payment, have been used against him inappropriately.
ICE has also mentioned a forgery case from 2008, which the family disputes, alleging that there are no such charges linked to Singh.
Singh is set to have a hearing on October 14th, and his lawyer plans to challenge the detention, claiming it is unethical. Meanwhile, the family remains anxious about Singh's deteriorating health and their challenges in communicating with him effectively.
This case comes amidst heightened scrutiny of immigration practices under the Trump administration, which has been criticized for targeting immigrants who have not committed any serious crimes.
