ICE Pursues $470K Civil Fine Against New York Immigration Attorney Over Fraudulent Asylum Documents

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has announced plans to impose civil penalties exceeding $470,000 against a New York-based immigration attorney accused of submitting fraudulent documents to support asylum applications. Homeland Security Investigations issued a Notice of Intent to Fine to attorney Suraj Raj Singh, whose practice primarily serves Indian nationals pursuing asylum claims in immigration courts across the country.

Federal authorities allege that Singh prepared and filed 118 fraudulent documents spanning 54 separate immigration cases. The proposed penalty of $470,584 represents the maximum allowable fine under applicable law. According to the Department of Homeland Security, asylum declarations filed on behalf of Singh’s clients contained language and factual narratives that were “identical or nearly identical,” sharing substantially similar accounts of alleged persecution.

The Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of alleged asylum fraud within the immigration system. DHS General Counsel James Percival stated that fraudulent asylum claims threaten national security and impede removal proceedings for criminal aliens, adding that the department intends to hold attorneys accountable for abusing the immigration system.

The Singh case represents the second instance in which DHS has pursued civil penalties against an immigration attorney under federal statute 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d). Last month, authorities issued five separate Notices of Intent to Fine against attorney Vinod Doddamani, seeking combined penalties of $255,232 over similar document fraud allegations.

A Notice of Intent to Fine provides the recipient an opportunity to respond before penalties become final. Singh has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the enforcement action.