For more than 30 years, Paramjit Singh called America his home. A green card holder, a businessman in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a man who built his American dream through hard work, yet today, he finds himself behind bars, not for a crime of the present, but for a mistake buried deep in the past.
As per a TOI report, on 30 July, as Singh returned from one of his regular trips to India, he was stopped at Chicago O’Hare Airport. What should have been another routine entry turned into a nightmare. Instead of heading home, he was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His offence? An old case from years ago, when he once used a pay phone without paying.
A family’s worst fears realised
His lawyer, Luis Angeles, called the detention “absolutely illegal” and warned of the dangers it poses to Singh’s health. The 60-year-old businessman is battling a brain tumour and heart problems.
Shockingly, he was kept inside the airport for five days before being rushed to the emergency room. His family only learnt about it when they received the hospital bill.
“He followed every rule”
Angeles stressed that Singh’s life is the very definition of lawful living. “He entered the US lawfully, adjusted his status properly, built his American dream through hard work, and has been a significant contributor to his community,” he said.
“As a green card holder, he should never have been detained in the first place.”
A brother’s plea
While Singh did win his bond hearing, his release is still delayed.
His brother, Charanjit Singh, described their frustration: “We’re just trying to post the bond, we’re just trying to speak to someone, trying to communicate with someone. We’re lost.”
More than just one man’s story
Singh’s ordeal shines a harsh light on how minor infractions, long settled, can come back to haunt immigrants who have otherwise lived a life of compliance and contribution.
For his family, every passing day feels like a fight against an unyielding system. For Singh, the American dream has turned into an unending wait for freedom.
Inputs from TOI
As per a TOI report, on 30 July, as Singh returned from one of his regular trips to India, he was stopped at Chicago O’Hare Airport. What should have been another routine entry turned into a nightmare. Instead of heading home, he was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His offence? An old case from years ago, when he once used a pay phone without paying.
A family’s worst fears realised
His lawyer, Luis Angeles, called the detention “absolutely illegal” and warned of the dangers it poses to Singh’s health. The 60-year-old businessman is battling a brain tumour and heart problems.
Shockingly, he was kept inside the airport for five days before being rushed to the emergency room. His family only learnt about it when they received the hospital bill.
“He followed every rule”
Angeles stressed that Singh’s life is the very definition of lawful living. “He entered the US lawfully, adjusted his status properly, built his American dream through hard work, and has been a significant contributor to his community,” he said.
“As a green card holder, he should never have been detained in the first place.”
A brother’s plea
While Singh did win his bond hearing, his release is still delayed.
His brother, Charanjit Singh, described their frustration: “We’re just trying to post the bond, we’re just trying to speak to someone, trying to communicate with someone. We’re lost.”
More than just one man’s story
Singh’s ordeal shines a harsh light on how minor infractions, long settled, can come back to haunt immigrants who have otherwise lived a life of compliance and contribution.
For his family, every passing day feels like a fight against an unyielding system. For Singh, the American dream has turned into an unending wait for freedom.
Inputs from TOI
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