U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking a $470,584 civil fine against a New York immigration attorney accused of filing fraudulent documents supporting asylum claims for dozens of clients.
Homeland Security Investigations issued a Notice of Intent to Fine attorney Suraj Raj Singh, whose nationwide practice primarily represents Indian nationals seeking asylum in U.S. immigration courts, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
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ICE alleges that Singh prepared and filed 118 fraudulent documents across 54 immigration cases. The agency claims that the asylum declarations submitted supporting the applications were identical or nearly identical in language and substance.
According to DHS, the documents contained the same or substantially similar factual narratives and supporting details describing alleged persecution.
The proposed penalty is the maximum civil fine allowed under the applicable law, according to the agency.
“Fraudulent asylum claims threaten the safety of the American people, undermine our immigration system, and delay the removal of dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” DHS General Counsel James Percival said.
“ICE is seeking a fine of more than $470,000 from attorney Suraj Raj Singh. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we will hold attorneys like this accountable and put an end to the practice of defrauding and abusing our immigration system,” Percival said.
A Notice of Intent to Fine is a proposed civil enforcement action. The recipient has an opportunity to respond before any penalty becomes final.
The action comes as the Trump administration steps up efforts to target alleged fraud in the U.S. asylum system. In May, Percival directed DHS attorneys to pursue additional enforcement actions involving fraudulent asylum claims.
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DHS said the Singh case is the second instance in which the department has sought civil penalties against an immigration attorney under 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d). The provision authorizes fines for certain immigration-related document fraud.
Last month, ICE issued five Notices of Intent to Fine against immigration attorney Vinod Doddamani, seeking a combined $255,232 in civil penalties over alleged immigration document fraud. DHS accused Doddamani of filing 64 fraudulent documents in cases involving primarily Indian nationals.