The US Justice Department has initiated denaturalization proceedings against 17 individuals, including India-born CEO Neeraj Sharma, accusing them of acquiring American citizenship through fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation. This move is part of an aggressive campaign, dramatically escalating efforts to revoke citizenship from those deemed to have lied during their immigration process.
CEO Accused of H-1B Visa Scheme
Neeraj Sharma, 50, who became a naturalized US citizen in 2017, is at the forefront of these cases. Sharma owned and operated Magnavision LLC, a New Jersey-based staffing company. According to federal prosecutors, he orchestrated an H-1B visa fraud scheme, filing 11 fraudulent petitions that falsely claimed foreign workers would be placed at a major global financial institution.
These petitions allegedly contained forged executive signatures and fabricated supporting documents. When applying for citizenship, Sharma reportedly swore under oath that he had never committed an offense, provided false information to US officials, or lied to obtain immigration benefits. He was later convicted of visa fraud related to activities between 2015 and 2017, prompting the Justice Department to seek the revocation of his citizenship.
Broader Denaturalization Push Targets Varied Crimes
Beyond visa fraud, the current round of denaturalization actions targets individuals convicted of a range of serious offenses. The 16 other individuals include:
- Immigrants from Haiti, the former Yugoslavia, and Mexico convicted of child sexual abuse.
- A former Catholic priest from Colombia accused of child sex abuse.
- A Filipino-born man who pleaded guilty to a child sex crime.
- The daughter of a Colombian drug trafficker accused of money laundering.
- A Jamaican-born man convicted of wire fraud.
- A Cuban-born woman accused of defrauding a tribal casino.
Historically, denaturalization cases were rare, averaging about 11 per year between 1990 and 2017, primarily reserved for war criminals or national security threats. However, the Trump administration significantly broadened this scope, with officials reportedly instructed to refer as many as 200 denaturalization cases per month. The Justice Department has identified 384 foreign-born Americans for potential citizenship revocation under this expanded policy.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the administration's stance, stating, "If you're going to come and become a citizen in this country, but you're going to do it by fraud, you're going to do it in a way that's illegal, you should be worried." He added that there were "a lot of individuals who are citizens who shouldn't be."
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin underscored that American citizenship is a "privilege" that must be earned honestly, vowing to use "every lawful avenue" to denaturalize those who lied during immigration proceedings. All 17 individuals will have the opportunity to contest the government's allegations in federal court. If successful, these proceedings could result in the loss of US citizenship and potential deportation.