Indian-Born Man Faces Citizenship Loss Over Fake Identity

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas filed a civil denaturalization lawsuit against Harinder Singh, also known as Rushpal Singh, of Olathe, Kansas. The complaint alleges he unlawfully procured U.S. citizenship by concealing a 1995 deportation order and changing key details of his identity.

According to court documents, immigration authorities first encountered Singh in 1991 at JFK International Airport in New York, where he identified himself as Rushpal Singh. In August 1995, an immigration judge ordered his deportation, but the government has no record of him ever leaving the country.

In June 1996, Singh filed an application for an immigration benefit under the name Harinder Singh, altering his date of birth, date of entry, and the factual basis of his claim. The Immigration and Naturalization Service granted that application, and in October 2000 approved his green card under the new identity. Eight years later, he naturalized as a U.S. citizen without disclosing his prior immigration history.

The lawsuit, filed under the Immigration and Nationality Act, seeks to revoke Singh's citizenship and cancel his certificate of naturalization. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided support to the investigation, and the agency encourages reporting suspected immigration benefit fraud through its tip form.