NY Court Suspends Immigration Lawyer for Medicaid Fraud
A New York appellate court suspended attorney Susan Engonwei Tingwei for three years in October 2026, barring her immediately from practicing law in New York state. Tingwei had already been disbarred in Maryland and banned from immigration courts nationwide after pleading guilty to federal Medicaid fraud. If she represented you in an immigration case, you now need a new lawyer.
A New York appellate court suspended immigration attorney Susan Engonwei Tingwei for three years, effective immediately, after she pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud. The Appellate Division, Third Department issued the ruling on October 29, 2026. Tingwei had already been disbarred in Maryland in June 2025 and was previously barred from practicing before immigration courts by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) — the federal agency that runs immigration courts.
The fraud happened before Tingwei became a lawyer. Between 2016 and 2017, while she was enrolled in a law school program, she submitted false timesheets to home health agencies, billing Medicaid for services she never provided. She used her National Provider Identifier — a number assigned to health care workers — to send fraudulent claims to multiple agencies in Washington, D.C. She pleaded guilty in October 2021 and was sentenced in July 2022 to 10 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $131,656.12 in restitution.
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Tingwei argued that her misconduct happened before she was admitted to the bar and did not involve any clients or legal work, making it less serious than cases where attorneys used their law licenses to commit fraud. The court rejected that argument. The judges wrote that committing fraud while actively pursuing a legal education actually made the situation worse, not better. They also noted that her failure to notify New York bar authorities about her conviction — as required by law — counted against her. To be reinstated in New York after the three-year suspension, she must first show proof that Maryland has reinstated her.
What this means if Tingwei represented you
If Tingwei was your immigration lawyer — whether in immigration court, on an asylum application, or on any other matter — her suspension means she can no longer represent you. She cannot appear in New York courts, give legal advice, or act as your attorney in any capacity in New York state. Her EOIR bar means she also cannot represent you in federal immigration court proceedings. You need a new attorney now.
What to do
- Check your case status. Log in to the USCIS online portal or call 1-800-375-5283 to confirm your case is still active and has not missed a deadline.
- Get your file. Contact Tingwei's office in writing and request all documents related to your case — applications, notices, correspondence, and any receipts from USCIS or immigration court.
- Find a new immigration lawyer quickly. If you have a hearing date coming up, tell the court you need time to find new counsel. Immigration judges can grant a continuance (a delay) for this reason.
- If you cannot afford a lawyer, search for free legal help at immigrationadvocates.org, which lists nonprofit immigration legal services by state.
Related: our step-by-step guide — “Immigration Court Rulings”.
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When your attorney is suspended mid-case, immigration courts generally allow a continuance so you can find new counsel — but you must ask for it before your next hearing date, not after. File a written request with the court explaining that your prior attorney is no longer able to represent you. If USCIS sent any requests for evidence (RFEs) or notices to Tingwei's address, those deadlines may still be running, so check your case status immediately at the USCIS portal. Consult a licensed immigration attorney to review your file and make sure nothing has been missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tingwei still represent me in immigration court?
No. The court's suspension bars her from practicing law in New York, and her earlier ban by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) bars her from appearing in federal immigration courts anywhere in the country. She cannot legally represent you.
What happens to my immigration case if my lawyer is suspended?
Your case continues — it does not stop or get dismissed automatically. But you are now without representation. You need to find a new attorney and, if you have a hearing scheduled, ask the immigration judge for a continuance (a delay) so you have time to do that.
What if Tingwei missed a deadline on my case while she was still my lawyer?
This is a serious problem that requires a lawyer's review immediately. Depending on the type of deadline and the circumstances, there may be ways to ask USCIS or the court to reopen or reconsider your case — but these remedies are not guaranteed and have their own deadlines.
How do I find a new immigration lawyer quickly?
Start at immigrationadvocates.org for free or low-cost legal help by state. You can also search the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) directory at ailalawyer.com for licensed attorneys near you. When you call, explain that your previous attorney was suspended and that you may have urgent deadlines.