A federal court has revoked the U.S. citizenship of Gurdev Singh Sohal, also known as Dev Singh and Boota Singh Sundu. The case involved the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and support from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. A statement was also issued by Brett A. Shumate. On April 13, the court ruled that Gurdev Singh Sohal had illegally obtained citizenship by concealing key facts about his past.
According to official records, Gurdev Singh Sohal was ordered to be deported from the United States in 1994 under the identity of Dev Singh. However, he did not comply with the deportation and exclusion order and remained in the country instead of leaving as required by law.
After staying in the United States, he assumed a completely new identity under the name Boota Singh Sundu. This identity included false personal details such as a different date of birth and a fabricated date of entry into the United States. Using this new identity, Gurdev Singh Sohal went through immigration procedures again and eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2005.
During all immigration applications and official proceedings under this assumed identity, he failed to disclose his earlier deportation order and prior immigration history. This deliberate concealment of facts became a key reason behind the court’s decision to revoke his citizenship.
Investigation Uncovers Truth Through Fingerprint Evidence
The case involving Gurdev Singh Sohal came to light as part of a broader national initiative focused on detecting immigration and identity fraud. Authorities conducted a detailed investigation using both historical records and modern identification techniques.
A major breakthrough occurred in February 2020 when experts analyzed fingerprint records associated with both identities used by Gurdev Singh Sohal. The analysis confirmed that the fingerprints from both identities matched, proving that they belonged to the same individual.
This comparison was made possible after older paper-based fingerprint records were digitized. The digitization process allowed investigators to review and match records more efficiently, making it easier to identify discrepancies in identity claims.
The investigation was carried out under the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project. This ongoing national effort is designed to review older immigration files and identify cases where individuals may have used false identities to gain legal status.
Through this project, officials were able to connect records that had remained separate for years. The fingerprint evidence played a central role in establishing the identity fraud linked to Gurdev Singh Sohal.
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Court Finds Citizenship Was Illegally Obtained
After examining all the evidence, the court determined that Gurdev Singh Sohal had not lawfully obtained U.S. citizenship. The ruling stated that he failed to meet the requirement of “good moral character,” which is essential for naturalization.
This requirement includes honesty and transparency during all immigration processes. By hiding his deportation order under the identity of Dev Singh and applying under a false identity as Boota Singh Sundu, he did not meet this standard.
As a result, his citizenship was revoked through a legal process known as denaturalization, which applies when citizenship is obtained through unlawful or dishonest means.
“This case shows this Administration’s strength and commitment to ensuring the sanctity of U.S. citizenship,” said Brett A. Shumate, highlighting cooperation between government agencies. The case was prosecuted by a specialized immigration litigation unit with assistance from federal immigration authorities and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Authorities emphasized that coordination between agencies and the use of digitized records remain essential tools in identifying and addressing immigration fraud cases.