Paramjit Singh spent more than 30 years building a life in the United States, running a business in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and holding a green card. Now, the 62-year-old finds himself behind bars, not for any recent wrongdoing, but because of a decades-old offense that has resurfaced to threaten his life he has built in America.
Singh’s troubles began on July 30 when he landed at Chicago O’Hare Airport after a routine trip to India, as per TOI. What should have been a simple return turned into an ordeal when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers took him into custody. The reason dates back decades where a minor offense involving the unpaid use of a payphone, now threatening his future in America.
Singh’s attorney, Luis Angeles, described the detention as “absolutely illegal,” raising concerns about the toll it could take on his client’s health. The 60-year-old businessman is already coping with a brain tumor and serious heart issues, conditions that make his continued confinement especially dangerous.
READ: US travel ban hits international students, leaves them struggling midway (
“He entered the U.S. lawfully, adjusted his status properly, built his American dream through hard work, and has been a significant contributor to his community,” Angeles stated emphasizing on the fact that Singh was living lawfully in the U.S. “As a green card holder, he should never have been detained in the first place.”
In a disturbing turn, Singh remained confined at the airport for five days before his condition deteriorated to the point that he had to be taken to the emergency room. His family only learned what had happened after they received a hospital bill.
Although Singh was granted bond, his release has yet to materialize. His brother, Charanjit Singh, voiced the family’s 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.”
Singh’s case underscores how even decades-old minor offenses can resurface to jeopardize the lives of immigrants who have otherwise built stable, law-abiding futures in the U.S. In contrast, another Indian national is making headlines on social media after securing an O-1 visa, nearly ten years after his first trip to America.
READ: Amazon, Microsoft, Apple lead surge in H-1B sponsorships despite ‘America First’ push (
An Indian professional Piyush Varanjani has shared his excitement on social media after finally receiving an O-1 visa, nearly ten years after his first visit to the U.S.
Varanjani said the visa gives him the chance to go “all in on AI” following his decision to leave his job. “Got my O-1 approved! Time to build my own reality,” he wrote on X. “After my mom, now it’s the US who thinks I am an individual of extraordinary ability,” Varanjani added.
The O-1 is a U.S. nonimmigrant visa issued to individuals with “extraordinary ability” in their area of expertise. Unlike the H-1B, which allows employment in a wide range of specialty occupations through a sponsoring company, the O-1 is specifically designed for those recognized at the highest level in their profession.
Reflecting on his journey, Varanjani recalled coming to the U.S. ten years ago with a “fistful of dreams” and a pair of harem pants. He went on to spend more than four years at Stripe before resigning in November 2024. His LinkedIn profile shows that since then, he has been focused on building his own startup. “A few months back I left Stripe to go all in on AI, and now finally SF is the new home,” Varanjani said.
About O-1 visa: The O-1 visa offers a pathway for individuals with extraordinary talent to live and work in the U.S., with no annual cap and an initial stay of up to three years, extendable in one-year increments.