The Department of Justice launched a major legal offensive Friday, filing civil denaturalization actions against 12 individuals accused of securing U.S. citizenship through deception. The targeted individuals include a former Catholic priest, a Gambian military officer, and several individuals linked to international terrorist organizations.
Federal law allows the government to revoke citizenship if it was obtained illegally or through the “willful misrepresentation” of material facts.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the administration is moving to correct “egregious violations,” noting that those who concealed criminal histories or supported terrorism should never have been naturalized.
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Cases Involving Terrorism and War Crimes
Several of the filings involve individuals with alleged ties to Al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab.
- Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri (48, Iraq): Currently facing a complaint in Phoenix, Ahmed entered the U.S. in 2009. Iraqi authorities later sought his extradition for the 2006 premeditated murder of two police officers. The DOJ alleges Ahmed lied about his leadership role in Al-Qaeda to gain entry.
- Khalid Ouazzani (48, Morocco): Despite swearing an oath to the Constitution in 2006, Ouazzani reportedly took an oath of allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2008. He later pleaded guilty to bank fraud and providing material support to the group.
- Salah Osman Ahmed (43, Somalia): Ahmed is accused of joining al-Shabaab just months after naturalizing in 2007. He traveled to Somalia to participate in combat and later pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists.
- Baboucarr Mboob (58, Gambia): A former military police officer, Mboob allegedly participated in the execution of six fellow officers in 1994. While he concealed this during his 2011 naturalization, he later admitted to the executions during a 2019 hearing of The Gambian Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission.
Abuse, Fraud, and Espionage
The DOJ also targeted individuals for violent crimes, financial fraud, and foreign interference.
- Oscar Alberto Pelaez (75, Colombia): A former Roman Catholic priest, Pelaez was convicted in 2002 of 13 counts of sexual assault against a minor. The government claims he concealed these crimes during his naturalization process.
- Victor Manuel Rocha (75, Colombia): A former diplomat convicted of acting as an unregistered agent for Cuba. Rocha allegedly began spying for the Cuban government in 1973, five years before he naturalized and swore he was not affiliated with the Communist Party.
- Kevin Robin Suarez (31, Bolivia): Suarez was involved in a South Florida gun-trafficking ring that sent firearms to drug organizations in Latin America. The DOJ argues his criminal conduct during the naturalization period precluded the “good moral character” required for citizenship.
- Abduvosit Razikov (46, Uzbekistan): Razikov is accused of orchestrating a series of three sham marriages—one for himself and two for others—to manipulate the U.S. immigration system.
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Other cases include Debashis Ghosh, an Indian native accused of a $2.5 million investment fraud; Abdallah Osman Sheikh, a former Marine discharged for possessing indecent images of minors; and Pin He and George Oyakhire, both accused of naturalizing under false identities to bypass prior removal orders or immigration restrictions.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the Department is filing these actions at “record speeds” to restore integrity to the immigration system. The cases are being handled by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation with support from various U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country.
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