US moves to revoke Indian-origin businessman’s citizenship.
Mullin says citizenship must be earned honestly.
Washington: The US Department of Justice has initiated legal proceedings to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalised Americans accused of concealing criminal conduct or providing false information during the immigration and naturalisation process. Among those named in the actions is an Indian-origin businessman who was previously convicted in a visa fraud case.
The Justice Department announced on Monday, June 8, that denaturalisation lawsuits had been filed in federal courts across the United States. The cases target individuals accused of a wide range of offences, including sexual abuse of minors, healthcare fraud, money laundering, securities fraud and immigration-related crimes.
One of the individuals identified in the filings is Neeraj Sharma, a 50-year-old native of India and former owner and chief executive officer of New Jersey-based staffing company Magnavision LLC.
According to the Justice Department, Sharma signed and submitted 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions that falsely claimed workers would be employed by a major global financial institution. Authorities allege that the applications contained forged signatures of company executives and misrepresented the intended employment arrangements.
Federal prosecutors stated that Sharma applied for US citizenship in 2017 and allegedly made false declarations during the naturalisation process. According to the complaint, he stated under penalty of perjury that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, never provided false information
However, he was later convicted of fraud and misuse of visas for conduct that prosecutors say occurred between April 2015 and April 2017, before he obtained citizenship.
As a result, the government argues that Sharma concealed material facts and failed to disclose unlawful activities during the naturalisation process. Officials are seeking to revoke his citizenship on the grounds that it was obtained through false testimony and misrepresentation.
The action against Sharma is part of a broader effort by federal authorities to identify and remove citizenship from individuals who allegedly secured it through fraud or deception. Denaturalisation cases are relatively rare but can be pursued when the government believes citizenship was obtained unlawfully.
Announcing the latest actions, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department would take a strict approach toward violations of immigration and naturalisation laws.
“When criminal aliens exploit the naturalisation process by breaking the law, there are consequences,” Blanche said. He added that individuals accused of concealing crimes, including fraud offences and other serious violations, would face legal action if they obtained citizenship through dishonest means.
Blanche further described US citizenship as a privilege and said the Justice Department maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse of the naturalisation system. The cases will now proceed through federal courts, where judges will determine whether the government has presented sufficient evidence to justify revoking the individuals’ citizenship status.