A 54-year-old Indian American man faces a US government lawsuit that could strip him of his citizenship, after authorities said he used fake identities and concealed his immigration history to obtain permanent residency and later naturalization.A civil complaint for revocation of citizenship has been filed against Jaswinder Singh, also known as Balwinder Singh, accusing him of illegally obtaining U.S. citizenship through misrepresentation and identity fraud.According to court documents, Singh first applied for immigration relief in August 1990 under the name Balwinder Singh. His application was denied in November of that year, and an immigration judge ordered his deportation from the United States.
After using all of his appeals, he was instructed to surrender in 1993, but failed to do so.Singh later reentered the immigration system using 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 of his entry into the United States. He did not disclose his previous deportation order and immigration procedures.An immigration judge approved his second application in 2003, granting him permanent residency after Singh said the information he provided was correct.
Singh later applied for US citizenship. He signed the naturalization application under penalty of perjury, confirming that all information provided was accurate, and his application was approved by USCIS in June 2013.“The complaint accuses Singh of illegally obtaining citizenship 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 obtained citizenship through concealment of a material fact or intentional misrepresentation. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires the US District Court to revoke Singh’s naturalization if it finds he is responsible for any of the charges.
“Singh was not legally eligible for citizenship because his permanent residency was obtained through false statements. He misled officials during the naturalization process.Under US law, citizenship can be revoked if it is found to have been obtained illegally or through intentional misrepresentation of material facts.The case was investigated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).