Chicago, USA – A 48-year-old Indian-origin man and U.S. green card holder, Paramjit Singh, is currently held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, with his scheduled second brain tumor surgery reportedly delayed because of his detention. His family and legal representatives claim he is being denied adequate medical care.
Paramjit Singh was detained at Chicago O’Hare International Airport when he returned from a trip to India.
Singh’s lawyer, Louis Angeles, stated that he had been charged in an earlier case of unpaid public phone use from 1999, for which he served 10 days in jail and paid a $4137.50 fine and that his citizenship application was hindered by that conviction. The family asserts that the 2008 forgery allegation is without basis and may be an error or misidentification which they learned after an investigation by a private investigator.
His case was scheduled for a hearing on October 14, 2025. Meanwhile, Singh remains in detention and is reportedly only receiving basic medical check-ups.
Singh has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and also reportedly has a heart condition. Because of his incarceration, his second brain tumor surgery has been postponed indefinitely.
His family claims that he has not been provided sufficient medical resources beyond routine check-ups while in ICE custody. The delay in surgical care raises concerns about disease progression during detention.
A prior 1999 conviction is acknowledged, but the family asserts that Singh served his sentence and paid the penalty, and thus the case should not continue to impede his legal standing or health rights.
The immigration judge had granted him bond, but ICE reportedly challenged the bond and prevented release, citing the 2008 alleged conviction.
This case is not isolated. Reports indicate that ICE detainees with serious medical conditions have faced delays or denials of appropriate care in U.S. detention facilities. The intersection of immigration enforcement and health care access has raised questions about institutional obligations to detainees.
His family has launched a widespread advocacy effort, reaching out to community organizations, legal representatives, and human rights groups to secure his release and ensure he receives the urgent medical care he needs.
(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)
