U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking a civil fine of $470,584 against New York immigration attorney Suraj Raj Singh, alleging he reused the same asylum narrative across dozens of clients. As reported by Fox News, ICE claims Singh filed 118 fraudulent documents across 54 separate immigration cases. Singh has not yet responded publicly to the allegations.

The allegation centers on asylum declarations that ICE says were nearly identical in language and substance across different clients, despite each asylum claim typically being based on a distinct set of circumstances. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the documents reportedly contained matching factual narratives regarding alleged persecution. Singh runs a nationwide practice that primarily represents Indian nationals seeking asylum before immigration courts.

DHS General Counsel James Percival said fraudulent asylum claims “undermine our immigration system,” adding that the agency intends to hold attorneys accountable for filings it considers fabricated or recycled. He said the fine against Singh reflects a broader push under the current administration to enforce document integrity in immigration cases. The notice of intent to fine gives Singh an opportunity to respond and challenge the claims before any penalty becomes final.

The fine relies on 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), a statute allowing civil penalties for immigration-related document fraud. This marks the second time the department has used the statute to pursue a fine against an attorney, after ICE issued five notices of intent to fine attorney Vinod Doddamani last month for similar allegations, seeking a combined $255,232 in penalties.

The push traces back to a directive DHS issued on May 26, 2026, instructing ICE to take more concrete steps against fraudulent asylum claims. That same week, a bartender’s drink-making video was separately circulating online. The directive gave ICE attorneys expanded authority to act on suspected document fraud without relying solely on immigration judges to flag it.

The administration has argued that some immigration attorneys have coached clients to conceal their pasts or misrepresent their circumstances to gain relief they would not otherwise receive. President Trump issued a memorandum in March 2025 raising similar concerns about attorneys and pro bono practices allegedly coaching clients to deceive immigration courts. Elsewhere online around the same period, a dive bar drink reaction video also went viral amid unrelated online chatter.

Singh has not yet formally responded to the notice, according to DHS’s announcement, and the fine remains a proposed action pending his reply.

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