On Friday, the Justice Department, under President Donald Trump, revealed that it is pursuing denaturalization actions against over a dozen individuals, some of whom are suspected of aiding terrorist organizations.
The U.S. Department of Justice, alongside the Arizona district attorney, is filing a civil denaturalization complaint against Ali Yusif Ahmed, a 48-year-old Iraqi who immigrated to the U.S. in 2009. It’s alleged that Ahmed and his family were attacked by al-Qaeda terrorists.
“If you’re trying to become a citizen through fraudulent means, you should be worried,” a source mentioned, highlighting the seriousness of these claims.
In 2019, the Iraqi government requested the extradition of Yousif Ahmed, stating he was a leader in al-Qaeda responsible for the deaths of two Iraqi police officers back in 2006. Investigations indicated that he might have secured his U.S. naturalization in 2015 by providing false information about his criminal history and family.
Additionally, the Justice Department is taking steps to denaturalize Oscar Alberto Pelaez, a 75-year-old from Colombia, for allegedly lacking moral character and lying during his immigration process. Pelaez, a Roman Catholic priest, has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child sexual abuse between 1998 and 2000, targeting victims aged 14 to 17.
Pelaez faced 13 counts, including sexually assaulting a minor and providing misleading statements during naturalization. Meanwhile, Khalid Wazani, 48, originally from Morocco, could lose his citizenship after allegedly swearing an oath based on falsehoods regarding his allegiance to U.S. constitutional principles. The Justice Department states he was involved in a terrorist plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange and pleaded guilty to offenses such as bank fraud and money laundering in 2010.
The department is also seeking to denaturalize Sara Osman Ahmed, a 43-year-old Somali who became a citizen in 2007. Osman Ahmed is accused of compromising constitutional principles and allegedly traveled to Somalia to join al-Shabaab, pleading guilty to providing material support to terrorism back in 2009, with claims of deceiving authorities during his naturalization.
In another case, Baboukar Mboub, 58, from Gambia, entered the U.S. in 2002 and is accused of war crimes and persecution dating back to 1994. Mboub served in the military police and reportedly confessed to executing six individuals he believed were plotting a coup. The Justice Department claims he didn’t disclose this history during immigration and naturalization processes.
The department is trying to revoke citizenship from Kevin Robin Suarez, a 31-year-old Bolivian, for alleged discrepancies in his character and providing false testimony during naturalization. He faces accusations of orchestrating illegal firearm sales meant for export to Bolivia and elsewhere, contributing to a broader trafficking network linked to drug violence in Latin America.
Abduvosit Radzikov, 46, from Uzbekistan, is facing scrutiny for allegedly entering into three sham marriages to gain immigration benefits. Radzikov allegedly wed an American in 2005 fraudulently, only to divorce and become a naturalized citizen in 2012, while marrying another woman from Uzbekistan that he intended to bring into the U.S.
The Justice Department’s actions also extend to Abdallah Osman Sheikh, a 28-year-old Kenyan who became a naturalized citizen after military service but was charged with possessing inappropriate images of minors, which he purportedly concealed during naturalization. He was dishonorably discharged for misconduct.
Debashis Ghosh, a 62-year-old from India, is accused of misrepresenting his criminal background during the naturalization process while allegedly defrauding investors of $2.5 million meant for an aircraft maintenance facility.
Furthermore, Ping He, a 53-year-old Chinese national, faces denaturalization after reportedly changing his name to secure immigration benefits while not disclosing prior deportation orders. George Oyahail, 66, and Adeyeye Ariyo Akanbi, 65, from Nigeria, are also in the ranks of individuals under similar accusations.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche remarked that efforts to denaturalize individuals who wrongfully acquired U.S. citizenship are intensifying, adding, “If you’re using fraud or illegal methods to become a citizen, you should be concerned.”
