Federal Judge Revokes Citizenship of Immigration and Identity Fraudster
Summary
The DOJ secured denaturalization of Gurdev Singh Sohal, who naturalized in 2005 despite being ordered deported in 1994. Sohal acquired a new identity with fictitious biographical information after failing to depart the country. A federal court found that his citizenship was illegally procured because he lacked the requisite good moral character, having concealed his prior deportation history.
What changed
A federal court revoked the U.S. citizenship of Gurdev Singh Sohal after finding he illegally procured naturalization in 2005. Sohal had been ordered deported in 1994 under a different identity but failed to leave the country. Instead, he created a new identity with a fictitious name, date of birth, and date of entry, then withheld his prior immigration history during the naturalization process. The court determined that his concealment of the prior deportation order demonstrated he lacked the good moral character required for citizenship.
This enforcement action demonstrates the government's ability to revoke citizenship obtained through fraud and false representations. The case relied on fingerprint analysis from the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, a joint initiative between DOJ and DHS-USCIS, confirming both identities belonged to the same individual. Legal professionals and government agencies involved in immigration proceedings should be aware of the government's continued use of historical fingerprint records to identify and denaturalize individuals who obtained citizenship through fraudulent means.
Archived snapshot
Apr 17, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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Press Release
Federal Judge Revokes Citizenship of Immigration and Identity Fraudster
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Share For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The Department of Justice has secured the denaturalization of Gurdev Singh Sohal, also known as Dev Singh, also known as Boota Singh Sundu, who naturalized in 2005 despite having been ordered deported in 1994.
After receiving a deportation and exclusion order under the name Dev Singh, Sohal failed to leave the country, and, instead, acquired a new identity with a different and fictitious name, date of birth, and date of entry into the United States. Sohal naturalized under the new and assumed identity. Sohal withheld his prior immigration history under the Dev Singh identity in any of his immigration applications or proceedings under the new identity.
“This case shows this Administration’s strength and commitment to ensuring the sanctity of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The cooperation between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security reflects a strong partnership to protect the nation against immigration and identity fraud.”
This case was investigated as part of the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, an ongoing national initiative between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Expert analysis in February 2020 confirmed that the fingerprints submitted under both identities came from the same individual. The analysis was only made possible after DHS digitized the paper fingerprint submission documents from older immigration files.
On April 13, the court found that Sohal illegally procured his U.S. citizenship because the unlawful acts he committed in hiding his prior identity rendered him unable to show that he had the requisite good moral character to naturalize.
This case was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from USCIS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Updated April 16, 2026 Component Civil Division Press Release Number: 26-365
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