PORTLAND, Ore. — Federal prosecutors have filed a civil denaturalization lawsuit against an Oregon man originally from India, alleging he unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing his true identity and immigration history.
According to a complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court, 54-year-old Jaswinder Singh, also known as Balwinder Singh, is accused of using two separate identities in immigration proceedings spanning more than two decades.
Court documents state that Singh first applied for an immigration benefit in August 1990 under the name Balwinder Singh. An immigration judge denied the application in November 1990 and ordered him deported from the United States. After an unsuccessful appeal, Singh was directed to surrender to immigration authorities in July 1993 but failed to do so.
Prosecutors allege that Singh later submitted a second immigration application in November 1994 using the name Jaswinder Singh. In that application, he reportedly provided a different identity, date of birth and date of entry into the United States. An immigration judge granted the application in August 2003, allowing Singh to obtain lawful permanent resident status after certifying under penalty of perjury that the information he provided was accurate.
The complaint further alleges that Singh continued to conceal his prior immigration history when applying for U.S. citizenship. He signed his naturalization application under penalty of perjury, affirming that all information and supporting evidence were true and correct. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved his naturalization application on June 3, 2013.
Federal prosecutors contend that Singh illegally procured his citizenship because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence and because he allegedly provided false testimony during his naturalization interview. The complaint also alleges that he obtained citizenship through the concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentation.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a federal court must revoke a person’s naturalization if it determines the individual is liable on any of the alleged grounds.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services within the Department of Homeland Security.
Civil denaturalization proceedings are separate from criminal prosecutions and focus on whether citizenship was lawfully obtained.
The allegations contained in the complaint are claims only, and no court has yet determined Singh’s liability in the case.
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