Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize 12 Citizens Over Alleged Misrepresentation of Criminal or Terrorist Histories

The Department of Justice announced on Friday efforts to denaturalize 12 individuals in the United States who are accused of misrepresenting their backgrounds during immigration proceedings. Each of the 12 is accused of concealing information during their individual naturalization proceedings. U.S.

Citizen’s citizenship may be revoked if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said individuals convicted and involved in heinous crimes should not have been naturalized.

“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 stated. ” Brett A. Shumate, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said the department continues to file denaturalization actions at record speeds.

“This Department of Justice continues to file denaturalization actions at record speeds to restore integrity in our naturalization process,” Shumate stated. U.S. ” Among those targeted is Oscar Alberto Pelaez, a Catholic priest from Colombia.

Pelaez sexually abused a child on multiple occasions from the time that child was 14 until he was 17 years old. Pelaez was convicted on 13 counts of sexual assault against a child in 2002. Khalid Ouazzani, a Moroccan native who was naturalized in 2006, allegedly planned with others to bomb the New York Stock Exchange.

U.S. citizen, Ouazzani allegedly sent tens of thousands of dollars to terrorist organizations. Ouazzani swore his allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2008. Salah Osman Ahmed was naturalized in 2007.