U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking more than $470,000 in civil fines against a New York immigration attorney accused of filing fraudulent documents in support of asylum claims for dozens of clients. The agency alleges that attorney Suraj Raj Singh submitted over 100 documents containing nearly identical accounts of persecution across 54 immigration cases.
Homeland Security Investigations announced that it had issued a Notice of Intent to Fine to Singh, whose practice primarily represents Indian nationals seeking asylum. ICE alleges Singh prepared and filed 118 fraudulent documents, leading the agency to seek the maximum permissible civil fine of $470,584.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the asylum declarations submitted in support of Singh's clients' applications were "identical or nearly identical in language and substance," detailing the same or substantially similar factual narratives and supporting details of alleged persecution.
"Fraudulent asylum claims threaten the safety of the American people, undermine our immigration system, and delay the removal of dangerous criminal illegal aliens," said DHS General Counsel James Percival. "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 part of the Trump administration's broader effort to combat alleged asylum fraud. In May, Percival directed DHS attorneys to pursue additional enforcement actions targeting fraudulent asylum claims. The DHS has stated that the Singh case marks the second time the department has sought civil penalties against an immigration attorney under a statute that authorizes fines for immigration-related document fraud.
Last month, ICE issued five Notices of Intent to Fine against another attorney, Vinod Doddamani, seeking a combined $255,232 in civil penalties over allegations of immigration document fraud. A Notice of Intent to Fine is a proposed civil enforcement action, allowing the recipient an opportunity to respond before any penalty becomes final. Fox News Digital has reached out to Singh for comment.