Indian-American Jaswinder Singh faces revocation of U.S. citizenship and possible deportation after being charged with identity fraud
A 54-year-old Indian-American man is facing a U.S. government lawsuit that could strip him of his citizenship after authorities said he used a false identity and concealed his immigration history to gain permanent residency and later naturalize.A civil denaturalization lawsuit was filed against Jaswinder Singh, also known as Balwinder Singh, alleging that he illegally obtained U.S. citizenship through misrepresentation and identity fraud.According to court documents, Singh first applied for immigration benefits in August 1990 under the name Balwinder Singh. In November of that year, his application was denied and an immigration judge ordered him deported from the United States. In 1993, after exhausting all appeals, he was instructed to surrender, but he failed to do so.Singer later re-entered the immigration system under a different identity. In 1994, he filed a new application under the name Jaswinder Singh, providing a different date of birth and a different account for entry into the United States. He did not disclose his previous deportation orders and immigration proceedings.In 2003, an immigration judge approved his second application, granting him permanent residency after Singer said the information he provided was true.Singer later applied for U.S. citizenship. He signed the naturalization application under penalty of perjury, certifying that all information submitted was accurate, and his application was approved by USCIS in June 2013.“The indictment alleges that Singer illegally naturalized because he did not lawfully obtain permanent resident status and that he provided false testimony during his naturalization interview. The indictment also accuses Singer of obtaining citizenship by concealing material facts or intentionally misrepresenting facts. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires a U.S. District Court to revoke Singer’s naturalization if it finds him responsible for any of the charges.“Singh is not legally eligible for citizenship because his permanent residency was obtained through misrepresentation. He misled officials during the naturalization process.Under U.S. law, citizenship can be revoked if it is found that citizenship was obtained illegally or that material facts were intentionally misrepresented.The case was investigated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).