Paramjit Singh: Green Card Holder with Brain Tumor Detained by ICE

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old Indian-origin U.S. Green Card holder battling a brain tumour, has spent more than two months in ICE detention after his July 30, 2025 arrival at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Despite nearly three decades of lawful residence in the United States and a judge’s $10,000 bond order in September, he remains behind bars. His family and lawyers warn his health is worsening and say the case exposes deep problems in immigration enforcement for lawful permanent residents with medical needs.

Singh’s supporters say he was stopped during inspection after returning from a family trip to India. He was held at the airport for five days, then transferred to a county facility and later to the Kenton County Detention Center in Northern Kentucky. ICE officials cite old criminal records to justify continued detention: a 1999 misdemeanor related to a pay phone and a disputed 2008 forgery allegation that Singh’s legal team says does not appear in state court databases.

His attorneys assert that the entries are either resolved, expunged, or misattributed, and contend the government has not produced proof supporting removal.

Detention, medical concerns, and bond

• An immigration judge approved release on bond in September, but ICE has not processed it, citing pending verifications and record discrepancies.
• A preliminary hearing in early October focused on the government’s need to substantiate the alleged 2008 forgery.
• If the government cannot produce evidence, Singh’s lawyers say the removal case should collapse.
• Another hearing was set for October 14, 2025, with his team again seeking medical release while contesting the basis for detention.

“He’s not a flight risk. He’s not a danger. He’s just sick — and he needs help,” a family spokesperson said.

Medical condition and treatment delays

Singh’s family reports:

• A recurring brain tumour and a serious heart condition.
• Worsening eyesight and daily symptoms consistent with progressive illness.
• A planned neurosurgery was put on hold because of his detention.
• Since confinement began, treatment has been delayed and limited to basic check-ups.

Advocates emphasize that ICE facilities often struggle to provide specialist care for complex illnesses, particularly neurosurgery and advanced cardiac treatment. Supporters argue continued confinement conflicts with ICE’s medical-release practices that allow temporary freedom for people with life-threatening conditions.

Legal strategy and claims

Singh’s attorneys have launched a three-pronged legal approach:

1. File a motion to reopen or vacate any old removal order tied to flawed records.
2. Request humanitarian parole or a medical release based on urgent health needs.
3. Assert a constitutional claim that prolonged detention of a terminally ill person may amount to cruel and unusual punishment.

Although immigration detention is civil rather than criminal, his legal team argues that the effect on a gravely ill detainee raises constitutional concerns.

Community response and advocacy

• South Asian organizations, the ACLU, faith leaders, and local advocates have called for immediate humanitarian parole, an independent review of medical protocols, and reforms to prevent detention based on outdated or incorrect records.
• Community members have organized call-in campaigns urging ICE to honor the bond ruling and release him for treatment.
• Supporters stress the human toll: missed appointments, fading eyesight, and fear that further delays could cause permanent harm.

Systemic issues: legacy records and ports-of-entry procedures

Immigration lawyers note that lawful permanent residents can still face removal proceedings when old arrests or convictions surface upon re-entry after international travel. Even minor or resolved cases can be reactivated if databases flag them as potential grounds of inadmissibility.

Key problems highlighted:

• Legacy database errors: Older entries, misspellings, and mismatched identifiers can linger for years.
• Unverified dispositions: Files that list charges without final dispositions can lead to inadmissibility findings until verified.
• Port delays: Ports of entry may hold people for days while background systems reconcile conflicting records; ICE can then transfer them to detention centers pending review.

VisaVerge.com analysis shows Singh’s case fits a pattern where legacy database hits result in long detentions while agencies sort through decades-old notations. Advocacy and careful court filings often determine whether someone is released on medical or humanitarian grounds while records are corrected.

Practical recommendations for travelers and non-citizens

• Green Card holders: Old or disputed records can trigger secondary inspection and detention upon return from travel. Carry certified dispositions for any past case. If ICE questions a record, ask counsel to seek supervisory review immediately.
• H-1B professionals and F-1 students: Maintain clean compliance histories and seek legal advice before international trips if you have prior issues.
• Visitors and business travelers: Be honest about prior visa denials or arrests—misstatements at the border can lead to lasting inadmissibility findings.
• Citizenship applicants: USCIS reviews full background during naturalization. If filing Form N-400, gather certified court records for any past case. See USCIS’s page for Form N-400 for filing details: https://www.uscis.gov-n-400.

ICE policy context and medical parole

• ICE has wide discretion over release and guidance allows case-by-case parole for urgent health needs under civil detention authority.
• Attorneys say such relief is essential when local jails contracted by ICE cannot provide timely specialist care.
• Families seeking detainee updates can use the official ICE Detainee Locator, which lists a detainee’s facility and contact information for legal visits: https://locator.ice.gov.

Possible legal outcomes and next steps

Singh’s next steps depend on what the government can prove about the alleged 2008 forgery and how ICE applies its medical parole authority:

• If prosecutors cannot produce admissible evidence of the conviction, the removal charge may fail.
• If a record exists but was resolved in a way that does not trigger removability, lawyers plan to argue for termination or cancellation of proceedings.
• Meanwhile, they continue to press for medical release, warning that each week in custody increases the risk of permanent harm.

Policy proposals and broader questions

Community leaders and advocates urge lawmakers to consider reforms, including:

• Clearer rules for handling outdated or incomplete records.
• Stronger oversight of detention medical care.
• Limits on detention for people with documented life-threatening conditions.
• Procedures allowing humane release while records are checked, balancing public safety with medical necessity.

The broader question is how the United States balances strict border screening with due process and dignity. In a system built on databases, errors multiply over time, and people like Singh can become trapped between computerized records and the courtroom. His case illustrates how a brain tumour, old case files, and a missed surgery can collide in ways the law and policy did not anticipate.

For now, his family waits. They say they’ve watched his eyesight fade, collected medical letters, and begged for updates. They continue to call for immediate humanitarian parole, pointing to the judge’s bond decision, strong community ties, and a medical file full of urgency.

The outcome will hinge on two broader questions: how quickly can the government validate decades-old records, and when does detention itself become a risk the system should not take?