IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man detained by federal immigration authorities at an Indiana prison for nearly 10 months may be a United States citizen, according to an Associated Press investigation that uncovered records supporting his family’s claims that he was born in Florida.
Phillip James, 39, who also goes by the name Felibi Siagha-Coke, has been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since January while authorities seek to deport him to Jamaica.
James is currently detained at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana, which houses federal immigration detainees under an agreement between state and federal officials.
According to the AP investigation, James has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and repeatedly claims he was born in Jamaica. Medical experts who evaluated him say those statements are part of a delusional belief system associated with his mental illness.
His mother and attorneys maintain that he was born in Orange County, Florida, in 1987, making him a U.S. citizen.
The Associated Press independently obtained a 1988 court document establishing James’ paternity that matches information on his Florida birth certificate, including his birth date, parents’ identities and their residence.
James was issued a U.S. passport in 2008 and received another passport following a legal name change in 2023.
However, federal officials later revoked his passport and denied his citizenship application after he submitted conflicting information about his identity and birthplace.
The Department of Homeland Security disputes James’ citizenship and alleges that the birth certificate used to obtain his passport was fraudulent. The agency did not provide the AP with evidence supporting that allegation.
Jamaican authorities have also told James’ attorneys that they have no record of his birth or citizenship in Jamaica, according to court filings.
ICE arrested James following an immigration court hearing in January and transferred him to the Miami Correctional Facility, which the Trump administration has nicknamed the “Speedway Slammer.”
The facility has faced complaints about overcrowding and medical neglect, and at least two immigration detainees have died there.
According to the AP, Indiana’s agreement to house federal immigration detainees could generate approximately $213 million for the state over its first two years.
James initially represented himself in immigration proceedings before attorneys with the Bronx Defenders took over his case.
His attorneys filed a federal petition seeking his release in August and are appealing an immigration judge’s April order directing his deportation to Jamaica.
Immigration experts told the AP that prolonged detention of a person who may be a U.S. citizen is unusual, although similar cases have occurred.
Deborah Fleischaker, a former ICE official, said the evidence supporting James’ citizenship appears strong, but acknowledged the complexity of the case.
The federal government has not acknowledged any error in his detention and continues to argue that his citizenship claim should be resolved through immigration proceedings.
U.S. District Judge Damon Leichty is expected to rule on the petition seeking James’ release.
Governor Mike Braun’s office declined to comment on the case.
The original Associated Press investigation is available here: Read the full AP report.
