Somerset County Attorney Had Clients Apply For Asylum, Lie To Get U.S. Visas: Authorities

MONTGOMERY, NJ — A lawyer based in Somerset County was arrested on Wednesday for falsifying visa applications, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Steven G. Thomas, 52, of New Hope, Pennsylvania, who operates a law firm in Montgomery Township, is charged by complaint with preparing and filing false visa applications on behalf of clients.

Thomas reportedly encouraged clients to apply for asylum under fraudulent pretenses by advising them on the best ways to obtain asylum, knowing that these clients did not legitimately qualify for asylum, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

He also prepared or had fake applications and affidavits prepared for those clients before submitting them to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to authorities.

In January 2020, a confidential informant working for law enforcement met with Thomas who filed on that person’s behalf a visa application containing numerous false statements in April 2020, said authorities.

Thomas will appear Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.