(MENAFN) Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old Sikh man and long-time US green card holder, has been held by US immigration authorities for over two months, despite suffering from a brain tumour and a heart condition. Singh, an Indian passport holder who has lived in the US since 1994 with his family in Indiana, faces the threat of deportation. His wife and two children are US citizens.

Singh was detained at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on 30 July while returning from India and has since been held in a detention centre in Clay County, Indiana. Authorities cited two decades-old cases as reasons for his detention, including a 1999 case involving unpaid public phone use, which Singh served time for and paid fines, and an alleged 2008 forgery case, which his family disputes. His lawyer, Louis Angeles, claims Singh receives only medical check-ups and not proper treatment for his conditions.

Family members allege immigration authorities may have mistaken Singh for someone else regarding the forgery charges. A private detective found no records of a Paramjit Singh involved in forgery in Illinois. Singh’s second brain tumour surgery has been delayed due to his detention, raising urgent health concerns.

Singh’s case is scheduled for a hearing on 14 October, and his lawyer intends to legally challenge both his detention and potential deportation, calling the actions “unethical.” His detention comes amid the Trump administration’s wider crackdown on immigration, including cases targeting long-term residents without active criminal cases, prompting criticism from advocacy groups and communities, particularly among Sikhs.

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