The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a major new round of denaturalization proceedings against naturalized American citizens accused of concealing serious criminal conduct, terrorist ties, war crimes, immigration fraud and other disqualifying information during the citizenship process.
In a statement announcing the actions, the Justice Department said it had filed denaturalization complaints in federal courts against multiple naturalized citizens whom officials allege unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship through fraud, concealment of material facts, or willful misrepresentation.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the federal government may seek to revoke naturalized citizenship if authorities determine that citizenship was illegally procured or obtained through deception during the immigration or naturalization process. Such proceedings are conducted in federal court and require judicial review before citizenship can be revoked.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the administration intends to pursue individuals accused of abusing the naturalization system.
This Department of Justice has filed DENATURALIZATION ACTIONS in various U.S. district courts against 17 individuals accused of serious offenses.
“When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about… pic.twitter.com/mhr1D9xxT8
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) June 8, 2026
“Individuals implicated in committing fraud, heinous crimes such as sexual abuse, or expressing support for terrorism should never have been naturalized as United States citizens,” Blanche said.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the department is continuing to expand denaturalization enforcement efforts as part of a broader initiative aimed at preserving the integrity of the naturalization process.
The cases announced by the Justice Department span a wide range of allegations, including terrorism-related offenses, war crimes, child sexual abuse, financial fraud, immigration fraud, false identity schemes, and espionage.
Among the most prominent cases is that of Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, an Iraqi-born naturalized citizen accused by Iraqi authorities of participating in the 2006 killings of two police officers while allegedly serving as a leader within Al-Qaeda. U.S. officials contend that he concealed material information about his background during the immigration and naturalization process.
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration plans to announce it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud, expanding its unprecedented denaturalization campaign, CBS News has exclusively learned. https://t.co/dFVDzHXGF6
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 8, 2026
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Federal prosecutors are also seeking to revoke the citizenship of Khalid Ouazzani, a Moroccan-born man convicted of providing material support to Al-Qaeda, and Salah Osman Ahmed, a Somali-born individual who pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists after joining the extremist group al-Shabaab.
Another case involves Baboucarr Mboob, a Gambian-born naturalized citizen accused of concealing his involvement in the 1994 execution of six military officers during political unrest in The Gambia. According to the Justice Department, Mboob later admitted his participation before The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.
The Justice Department has additionally filed a denaturalization action against Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. diplomat and naturalized citizen born in Colombia who was convicted of acting as an unregistered agent for Cuba. Prosecutors allege Rocha concealed activities and affiliations that would have affected his eligibility for U.S. citizenship.
Several of the cases involve allegations of sexual offenses against minors. Among them is Oscar Alberto Pelaez, a Colombian-born former Catholic priest convicted of multiple sexual offenses involving a child. Other defendants are accused of child exploitation offenses or concealing criminal conduct involving minors while pursuing U.S. citizenship.
Federal authorities are also pursuing cases involving alleged financial and immigration-related fraud. Among those named by the Justice Department is Debashis Ghosh, an Indian-born naturalized citizen accused of concealing conduct related to an investor fraud scheme while seeking citizenship. Other cases involve allegations of sham marriages, false testimony, identity fraud and unlawful procurement of immigration benefits.
The latest actions come amid a broader expansion of denaturalization efforts under the Trump administration. Earlier reporting by CBS News highlighted a wider initiative involving 17 naturalized citizens accused of fraud and other serious offenses. According to that report, additional individuals targeted by federal authorities include an Indian-born immigrant accused of filing fraudulent H-1B visa petitions, a Jamaican-born man convicted of wire fraud, a Cuban-born woman accused of defrauding a tribal casino, and several others accused of immigration-related fraud and identity deception.
Individuals named in denaturalization proceedings retain the right to challenge the government’s allegations in federal court. If citizenship is ultimately revoked, they generally revert to their previous immigration status and may subsequently face removal proceedings.
The Justice Department emphasized that the claims contained in the denaturalization complaints are allegations only and that there has been no determination of liability. The proceedings remain pending before the courts.
Ali Imran is a Washington-based journalist, who has worked for leading world news organizations as correspondent, expert and in editorial positions. He is a published author and poet.
