U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is seeking a $255,232 penalty against an attorney for allegedly filing dozens of false asylum applications.
The move opens up a new front in the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on fraud.
Lawyer Vinod Doddamani is accused of operating a nationwide practice in which he filed asylum applications on behalf of mostly Indian immigrants in immigration courts.
The filings contained declarations with the same or nearly the same factual narrative and supporting details regarding alleged persecution, according to a June 23 announcement by the Department of Homeland Security.
James Percival, the general counsel for the DHS, said by holding Doddamani accountable, “we are sending a message to other immigration attorneys who engage in fraud across the country: Your days of abusing and defrauding our immigration system are over.”
In a call with Fox News, Doddamani denied wrongdoing, asserting that the DHS has the wrong suspect. Doddamani blamed “a rogue employee” and his “office manager” for the filings, according to a story by Fox News.
ABC News and the Center for Immigration Studies also had coverage.
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