54 fake asylum cases: US slaps ₹4 crore fine on Indian-origin lawyer in immigration crackdown

A New York-based attorney specializing in securing US asylum for Indian clients now finds himself at the center of a federal enforcement action.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a Notice of Intent to Fine against attorney Suraj Raj Singh, demanding over ₹4 crore ($470,584) in civil penalties. Investigators allege Singh orchestrated a widespread scheme by recycling identical accounts of persecution across dozens of separate asylum filings.

An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that Singh submitted 118 fraudulent documents in 54 immigration cases. The petitions relied on copy-pasted narratives, word-for-word descriptions, and identical personal details to claim asylum for his clients. Federal authorities are pursuing the maximum statutory penalties allowed under civil document fraud laws.

"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."

Highlighting the scope of the crackdown, Percival added: "We have been abundantly clear – if immigration attorneys commit fraud for their clients, the attorneys will be fined."

This action against Singh follows a similar penalty issued in June against California-based attorney Vinod Doddamani, who faced over ₹2.1 crore ($255,232) in proposed fines for submitting fake asylum paperwork for Indian nationals. Singh will have the opportunity to contest the allegations before an administrative law judge before any fine is finalised.

The United States government has launched aggressive, multi-agency crackdowns on employment visa manipulation, Post-Graduation (OPT) shell companies, systemic asylum fabrication, and marriage fraud.

Backed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Labor (DOL), enforcement teams are utilising advanced data-tracking networks to penalise violators and dismantle fraud schemes

USCIS has structurally adjusted the affirmative asylum process, expanding investigative offices to systematically vet narratives and immediately forward fraudulent filings to ICE for removal proceedings.