The US Department of Justice has initiated legal proceedings to strip citizenship from 17 naturalised Americans, including an Indian-origin businessman convicted in a visa fraud case, the department announced on Monday, 8 June. The denaturalisation actions, filed in federal courts across the country, target individuals accused of concealing criminal histories or making false statements during the naturalisation process.

Key Developments

The 17 cases span individuals originally from India, China, Haiti, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Jamaica, Somalia, the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and several other countries. The alleged offences range from sexual abuse of minors and healthcare fraud to money laundering, securities fraud, and immigration-related crimes. Many complaints allege that the individuals committed offences during the period in which they were required to demonstrate 'good moral character' as a condition for naturalisation.

The Indian-Origin Businessman Named

Neeraj Sharma, 50, a native of India and former owner and chief executive officer of New Jersey-based staffing firm Magnavision LLC, is among those named. According to the Justice Department, Sharma filed 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions containing false representations that workers would be placed at a global financial institution. The petitions allegedly included forged signatures of company executives.

Sharma applied for US citizenship in 2017 and, according to the complaint, falsely stated under penalty of perjury that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, never provided false information to government officials, and never lied to obtain immigration benefits. He was granted citizenship in December 2017, and was subsequently convicted of fraud and misuse of visas for conduct that occurred between April 2015 and April 2017. The government alleges he concealed material facts and provided false testimony during the naturalisation process.

What the Government Said

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, 'When criminal aliens exploit the naturalisation process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters.' He added that under President Trump's leadership, the Justice Department maintains a 'zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process.'

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that citizenship 'must be earned honestly,' warning that those who 'come here, break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings' forfeit the privilege. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the department 'will not turn a blind eye to those who unlawfully obtained US citizenship.'

Legal Context and Caveats

The Justice Department stressed that these are civil actions and the allegations remain unproven. 'The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability,' the department noted. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, US citizenship may be revoked if obtained illegally, through concealment of material facts, or through wilful misrepresentation. Denaturalisation cases are relatively uncommon but have been periodically deployed in matters involving fraud, national security concerns, and serious criminal conduct.

This latest wave of proceedings reflects a broader enforcement posture under the current administration, which has signalled an aggressive approach to immigration compliance and naturalisation integrity. Further cases are expected as the Justice Department reviews its backlog of fraud-related citizenship files.