An Indian-origin immigration lawyer in the United States faces a civil penalty of over $470,000 (around Rs 4 crore) for allegedly filing fraudulent asylum applications on behalf of his clients.
Suraj Raj Singh, who handles immigration cases across the US, has primarily filed asylum applications for individuals of Indian origin. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have initiated proceedings to impose a civil penalty against him.
Singh had prepared and filed 118 fraudulent documents in 54 immigration cases and submitted documents on behalf of his clients using identical language, narratives, and facts. Even the accounts of persecution in petitions filed by different individuals seemed to be copy-pasted.
Based on these allegations, ICE is seeking a maximum fine of $470,584.
DHS General Counsel James Percival said that such fraudulent asylum claims threaten the safety of the American public, undermine the immigration system and also delay the deportation of “dangerous criminal illegal aliens”.
He emphasised that the Trump administration would take strict action against individuals and lawyers involved in such cases, asserting that the abuse of the immigration system would not be tolerated.
The DHS stated that this action is being taken under a directive issued in May 2026, which called for stricter measures against fraudulent asylum claims.
This is the second major case under which the department sought civil penalties against an immigration attorney for immigration-related document fraud.
Previously, in June 2026, a notice imposing a fine of over $255,000 was issued to another immigration attorney, Vinod Doddamani, for allegedly filing fraudulent asylum applications.
Legal proceedings regarding the allegations against Singh are currently underway, and a final decision on the matter will be made by the authorities.
