U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Wednesday it is seeking more than $470,000 in civil fines against New York immigration attorney Suraj Raj Singh, alleging he prepared and filed 118 fraudulent asylum-related documents across 54 cases.
According to a Notice of Intent to Fine issued July 28 by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Singh, who maintains a nationwide practice largely representing Indian nationals in asylum proceedings, filed alien declarations that were “identical or nearly identical in language and substance,” including the same or substantially similar factual narratives and supporting details about claimed persecution.
ICE alleges the 118 fraudulent documents were filed in support of asylum claims before immigration court. The agency is seeking the maximum permissible civil penalty under federal document fraud law: $470,584.
“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 in a statement. “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.”
The action is being pursued under 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), which authorizes civil penalties for immigration-related document fraud. DHS said the Singh case marks the second such issuance of fines against an immigration attorney under that provision.
In June, ICE issued five Notices of Intent to Fine against attorney Vinod Doddamani, alleging he filed 64 fraudulent documents in 32 asylum cases with similar patterns of duplicated declarations. ICE sought $255,232 in maximum fines in that case.
The enforcement actions follow a May 26 directive from Percival instructing ICE to develop anti-fraud policies and more aggressively pursue administrative cases against attorneys accused of filing false asylum claims.
A Notice of Intent to Fine is a charging document that informs the recipient the government believes they violated the law and may be fined. Recipients can contest the allegations before an administrative law judge. If penalties are upheld, they can be referred to disciplinary authorities and potentially affect an attorney’s ability to practice before immigration courts.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
