[1/2]A federal immigration officer waits in a hallway at U.S. immigration court in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., January 12, 2026. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File Photo
July 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Thursday it is seeking more than $470,000 in fines from a New York lawyer for allegedly filing more than 100 false documents in asylum cases, expanding its use of financial penalties against attorneys to crack down on alleged immigration fraud.
The U.S. immigration agency alleged that Suraj Raj Singh filed "identical or nearly identical" declarations in 54 immigration cases that contain "the same or nearly the same factual narrative and supporting details regarding the claimed persecution."
Singh on his LinkedIn profile said he handles "all kinds of immigration and corporation matters." He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in May directed ICE to start bringing enforcement actions against immigration attorneys for alleged document fraud. Under federal law, people accused of document fraud in an immigration matter can receive a hearing before an administrative law judge, as well as seek judicial review.
Last month ICE said it would seek a $250,000 fine against attorney Vinod Doddamani for allegedly filing "identical or nearly identical" declarations in 32 immigration cases. Doddamani did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ICE said Singh and Doddamani both have national U.S. practices and mostly represent people from India who have asylum claims.
“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 on Thursday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive immigration crackdown since taking office last year, and has taken aim at some lawyers and law firms that bring immigration lawsuits. In a March 22, 2025 memorandum to then-U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump asserted that lawyers who take on immigration cases "frequently coach clients to conceal their past or lie about their circumstances when asserting their asylum claims."
The U.S. said in March it would resume processing some asylum applications after it halted all such claims following the November shooting of two National Guard members by an asylum seeker.
Reporting by David Thomas
Our Standards: