ICE detention records and federal court filings have drawn renewed scrutiny to the case of a mentally ill man who has remained in custody for months while his lawyers argue that he was born in the United States and cannot legally be deported.
Phillip James, 39, is being held at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana, under the name Felibi Siagha-Coke, according to court documents.
His legal team says a Florida birth certificate, older court records and a U.S. passport support the claim that he was born in Orange County, Florida, in 1987.
The Department of Homeland Security disputes that account and has alleged that the birth certificate used to obtain his passport was fraudulent.
Table of Contents
Why the ICE detention case is disputed
The case began after immigration authorities rejected applications James filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
He was served with a notice to appear in immigration court in December 2025.
ICE agents arrested him in New York on January 5, 2026, after an immigration hearing was postponed.
Authorities have treated him as a Jamaican citizen who entered the United States without inspection and have pursued his removal to Jamaica.
James has made conflicting statements about his identity and national background, including claims that he was born in Jamaica and also held Lebanese citizenship.
Medical assessments filed in court describe a serious mental illness and say his belief that he was born in Jamaica is connected to a delusional belief system.
His mother and lawyers say those statements should not outweigh documentary evidence concerning his birth and childhood in Florida.
What court records show
A May 12, 2026 order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana said the parties agreed that Siagha-Coke was a Jamaican citizen who entered the country without inspection.
The order denied his habeas petition but ruled that he should be classified under a different detention provision, allowing him to seek a custody redetermination.
The court record also confirms that ICE arrested him in New York on January 5 and transferred him to the Indiana facility.
His lawyers later filed a federal petition seeking his release, arguing that continued detention was unlawful because he is a U.S. citizen.
They are also challenging the immigration judge’s decision ordering his removal to Jamaica.
A federal judge was expected to rule on the later petition as of Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Government position remains unchanged
Homeland Security officials have not acknowledged that ICE detained a U.S. citizen in this case.
The government’s position is that James is a Jamaican national and that the documents used to establish his U.S. identity cannot be trusted.
Government lawyers have argued that the citizenship question should be resolved through immigration proceedings rather than through the federal habeas case.
Jamaican authorities, according to court filings, have not found a birth or citizenship record matching the identity used by U.S. immigration authorities.
That could complicate any attempt to carry out the removal order if Jamaica does not accept him as a national.
Immigration officials could potentially seek removal to another country, although no such transfer has been reported in the case.
Why the case matters for ICE enforcement
ICE has authority to detain people who are subject to U.S. immigration enforcement, but it does not have authority to deport American citizens.
Citizens can still be detained temporarily when agents make an identification error or cannot immediately verify a person’s status.
The unusual feature of this case is the length of the detention and the government’s continued effort to defend the removal proceedings despite records cited by the family and lawyers.
The case also highlights the consequences of people representing themselves in immigration court, where detained individuals generally do not receive government-appointed lawyers.
James initially acted as his own lawyer before nonprofit attorneys began representing him.
His case is unfolding as the Trump administration expands immigration arrests, detention capacity and deportation operations across the United States.
What happens next
The immediate question is whether the federal court will order James released or require immigration authorities to hold a new custody hearing.
His appeal of the removal order will proceed separately through the immigration system.
The court may also have to weigh the Florida birth certificate, the earlier passport history, criminal records that identify James as a U.S. citizen and the government’s allegation that those records are fraudulent.
Until those disputes are resolved, James remains in Indiana detention while facing a removal order to a country his lawyers say has no verified record of his citizenship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is being held in the ICE detention case?
Phillip James, also known in court records as Felibi Siagha-Coke, is being held at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana.
Why do lawyers say he is a U.S. citizen?
His lawyers and mother point to a Florida birth certificate, earlier court records and a U.S. passport issued to him over a period of years.
What does the U.S. government say?
The Department of Homeland Security disputes his citizenship claim and alleges that the birth certificate used to obtain his passport was fraudulent.
Why was he arrested by ICE?
ICE treated him as a Jamaican citizen who entered the United States without inspection after his immigration-related applications were rejected.
What happens next in the case?
A federal court is considering a petition seeking his release, while his lawyers continue challenging the immigration judge’s order directing removal to Jamaica.
Fact-Checked: Key dates, detention details and legal claims were checked against federal court records and official ICE information.
Disclaimer: The citizenship dispute remains unresolved, and allegations by either side should not be treated as final findings until the courts issue further decisions.