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New Jersey Man Charged with Naturalization Fraud
Pal Singh, a/k/a ‘Surinder Singh,’ a/k/a ‘Harpal Singh,’ 66, an Indian national residing in Iselin, New Jersey, has been arrested and charged with one count of naturalization fraud and one count of making false statements under oath in connection with naturalization proceedings.
On March 23, Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Singh in connection with his alleged attempt to fraudulently obtain US citizenship. Singh made his initial appearance before US Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was released on $200,000 bond.
According to court documents, Singh initially applied for admission into the United States as a tourist in March 1992, presenting an Indian passport with a purported entry visa. However, the entry visa was deemed fraudulent, and Singh was detained pending exclusion proceedings. He later applied for asylum under his true name, but was denied in June 1993. Singh failed to appear for his deportation as ordered.
Over the years, Singh applied for asylum under multiple identities, including ‘Harpal Singh’ and ‘Surinder Singh,’ each time claiming to have entered the United States through the US-Mexico border. Singh did not disclose his previous denials of asylum or his true identity. His third asylum application, filed in June 1996, was granted based on fraudulent information provided by Singh.
In December 2015, Singh filed an Application for Naturalization, Form 400-N, with the US Department of Homeland Security under the identity of Surinder Singh. He falsely answered questions relating to his identity, prior immigration applications, and immigration status during a May 2018 interview with a Department of Homeland Security officer in Newark.
A qualified fingerprint examiner from the US Department of Homeland Security’s Biometric Support Center compared fingerprints taken of Singh in 1992 to those taken in the names of Harpal Singh and Surinder Singh in connection with the above-described immigration proceedings. The examiner concluded that the same individual made all of the fingerprints.
The naturalization fraud charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison, while the false statements charge carries a maximum potential sentence of up to 5 years in prison.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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