US Justice Department Targets 10 Naturalized Citizens for Citizenship Revocation
The United States Department of Justice has filed court actions to revoke the citizenship of 10 naturalized Americans, accusing them of concealing serious criminal conduct to obtain citizenship illegally. The complaints, filed across several federal district courts over the past 30 days, target individuals convicted of offences ranging from child sexual abuse and Medicare fraud to cocaine trafficking and identity fraud.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the push as part of the Trump administration's "largest denaturalization effort ever." Blanche stated that the individuals "lied their way into U.S. citizenship," adding that each person lacked the good moral character required by law and obtained citizenship through deliberate misrepresentation. "Under President Trump's leadership, this Department of Justice will continue to aggressively pursue denaturalization to restore integrity to America's naturalization process," Blanche said.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin commented: "When you commit fraud during the naturalization process, you forfeit the right to keep your U.S. citizenship."
Details of the Accused Individuals
Among those named is Yoskmaikel Rodriguez Perez, 45, a Cuban national who submitted over $886,000 in fraudulent Medicare claims before obtaining citizenship in 2018. He was later convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare and wire fraud.
Urbano Vazquez Ortega, 53, a Mexican national who worked as a priest in Washington D.C., was convicted of multiple counts of second-degree child sexual abuse committed between 2015 and 2017. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2019 and remains incarcerated.
Martin Garcia Cardiel, 60, also from Mexico, was convicted in 2022 on 19 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Evidence showed his two victims were neighbours aged 7 and 8 when the abuse began in 2007. He was sentenced to consecutive terms of 15 years to life in prison.
Omar Cantu-Montalvo, 44, pleaded guilty in 2016 to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute more than five kilograms. The conspiracy began in April 2005, just months before he applied for naturalization, yet he told authorities on his application that he had never committed any crime.
Marcin Stanislaw Garbacz, 47, a former Roman Catholic priest from Poland, stole roughly $259,696 from three church parishes and secretly filmed a 17-year-old showering during a church trip. He was convicted of wire fraud, filing a false tax return, and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor abroad.
Murtaza Ali, 65, from Pakistan, used three different identities to file multiple immigration benefit applications before obtaining permanent residency and naturalizing in 2009 under the alias "Muhammad Iqbal." Fingerprint analysis later confirmed the applications were made by the same person.
Ongoing Denaturalization Efforts
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the administration has "only scratched the surface," warning that more denaturalization complaints are forthcoming. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, naturalised citizenship can be cancelled if it was obtained illegally or through the concealment of material facts.
