Indian Green card holder detained at Chicago airport over a decades-old offence

 

 

Paramjit Singh, a U.S. green card holder originally from India, has spent more than six weeks in federal custody after being detained by immigration agents at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on July 30, Newsweek reported. Singh has lived in the US for over three decades and runs a business in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was returning from a trip to India when he was stopped.

Detention and health concerns

Singh’s attorney, Luis Angeles, described the detention as “nothing short of horrific” for both him and his family. Singh, who suffers from a brain tumour and a heart condition, was held inside the airport for five days before being rushed to the emergency room. His family only learned of his hospitalisation after receiving the bill for his medical stay.

According to Angeles, the alleged offence stems from a decades-old incident involving the use of a pay phone without payment. “It is a minor infraction for which he has already taken full accountability, served his time, and paid his debt to society,” he said.

Legal battle and DHS stance

Despite winning a bond hearing, Singh remains in custody. “We filed for a bond redetermination and successfully won the bond hearing. However, DHS has continued to employ what I would describe as legal—yet arguably unethical—tactics to prolong his detention, despite being fully aware of his severe medical condition, which requires emergency surgery. The government is holding him without justifiable cause,” Angeles told Newsweek.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson defended the government’s authority, saying: “A green card is a privilege, not a right, and under our nation’s laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. Lawful Permanent Residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention and/or may be asked to provide additional documentation to be set up for an immigration hearing.”

Singh’s brother, Charanjit Singh, voiced frustration over the family’s struggle to secure his release. “We’re just trying to post the bond, we’re just trying to speak to someone, trying to communicate with someone. We’re lost,” he told WPTA.

Wider implications

The case has drawn attention to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement drive, which has expanded since his return to office. While the administration insists its priority is deporting undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, critics argue that lawful permanent residents with decades-old infractions — or no records at all — are also being targeted.