Indian American Man Faces Lawsuit to Revoke US Citizenship Over Alleged Fraud

A 54-year-old Indian American man is facing a US government lawsuit that could strip him of his citizenship, after authorities said he used false identities and concealed his immigration history to obtain permanent residency and later naturalisation.

A civil denaturalisation complaint was filed against Jaswinder Singh, also known as Balwinder Singh, accusing him of illegally obtaining US citizenship through misrepresentation and identity fraud.

According to court documents, Singh first applied for an immigration benefit in August 1990 under the name Balwinder Singh. His application was denied in November that year, and an immigration judge ordered his deportation from US.

After using all his appeals, he was instructed to surrender in 1993 but failed to do so.

Singh later re-entered the immigration system using a different identity. In 1994, he submitted a new application under the name Jaswinder Singh, providing a different date of birth and a different account of his entry into US. He did not disclose his earlier deportation order and immigration proceedings.

An immigration judge approved his second application in 2003, giving him permanent residency after Singh said the information he provided was true.

Singh later applied for US citizenship. He signed his naturalisation application under penalty of perjury, confirming that all information submitted was accurate, and his application was approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services in June 2013.

“The complaint charges Singh with illegal procurement of naturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent resident status and because he provided false testimony in his naturalization interview. The complaint also charges that Singh procured citizenship through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires the US District Court to revoke Singh’s naturalization if it finds him liable on any of the charges. ”

Singh was not legally eligible for citizenship because his permanent residency was obtained through false statements. He misled officials during his naturalisation process.

Under US law, citizenship can be revoked if it is found to have been obtained illegally or through deliberate misrepresentation of material facts.

The case was investigated by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).