Federal immigration officials are seeking a civil fine of $255,232 against an attorney accused of filing dozens of fraudulent asylum documents in immigration court.
The case involves Vinod Doddamani, an immigration lawyer who DHS says operates a nationwide practice that mostly represents Indian nationals seeking asylum, according to a Department of Homeland Security announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations filed five Notices of Intent to Fine against Doddamani on June 22.
ICE alleges that Doddamani prepared and filed 64 fraudulent documents across 32 immigration cases. The disputed filings were alien declarations submitted in support of asylum claims, according to DHS.
DHS Says The Asylum Stories Repeated Across Cases
Asylum claims often depend heavily on a person’s written declaration. That document can describe what happened in the applicant’s home country, why the applicant fears returning, and how the claimed persecution connects to a protected ground under U.S. asylum law.
In this case, DHS is not saying one sentence or legal phrase appeared in multiple filings. The agency alleges that the factual narratives and details about persecution were repeated across different cases. ABC News reported that the action is the first time ICE has filed this kind of claim against an attorney for alleged false asylum filings.
ICE is seeking the maximum fine listed in the DHS announcement, but the fine has not been finalized through an adjudicated court judgment.
The Lawyer Denies Wrongdoing
Doddamani denied wrongdoing in comments reported by Fox News. He said DHS had the wrong suspect and blamed the filings on a “rogue employee” and his “office manager.”
A Notice of Intent to Fine is an allegation and enforcement step, not a finding that the respondent has already violated the law. Under the civil document-fraud process described in federal reporting on the policy, the respondent can contest the allegations before an administrative law judge.
The Case Follows A New DHS Directive
The fine effort follows a May 26 DHS memo directing ICE attorneys to pursue more asylum-related fraud cases. CBS News reported that DHS General Counsel James Percival instructed ICE attorneys to develop anti-fraud policies designed for stronger enforcement of existing federal document-fraud law, including enforcement against immigration attorneys accused of filing false asylum claims in immigration court.
The same report said recipients of Notices of Intent to Fine can contest the allegations before an administrative law judge, and that penalties can add up by document or act. CBS reported that the memo pointed to federal anti-fraud law that allows the government to pursue civil penalties against people accused of knowingly preparing, filing, or helping file immigration-benefit applications that are false or contain false statements.
Clients Should Read Every Filing Before It Goes In
Anyone applying for asylum or another immigration benefit should read every declaration, form, and supporting statement before it is filed, even if a lawyer or staff member prepared it. The Federal Trade Commission warns people not to sign blank immigration forms or forms that contain false information about them or their situation.
Applicants should keep copies of everything filed in their case and ask questions if a declaration includes facts, dates, locations, threats, injuries, political activity, or family details that are not true. If someone believes an immigration lawyer or representative filed false information in their case, the Executive Office for Immigration Review says complaints involving immigration practitioners can be submitted in writing, including through Form EOIR-44.
The Fine Is The Case To Watch
The case is important because it tests how aggressively ICE will use civil fines against immigration attorneys, rather than relying only on criminal prosecutions or attorney-discipline referrals.
DHS General Counsel Percival said the action was meant to send a message to immigration attorneys who engage in fraud. Immigration lawyers and advocates have raised broader concerns that enforcement actions could chill legitimate asylum representation, according to CBS News.