DOJ Files to Strip Citizenship From 10 Naturalized Americans

What if the government finds out you hid a crime during your naturalization interview — years after you became a citizen? In July 2026, the DOJ showed exactly what happens: it filed denaturalization complaints in federal courts across the country against 10 people who allegedly lied or concealed criminal conduct to obtain U.S. citizenship. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department will "aggressively pursue denaturalization" and that these cases are just the beginning.

How denaturalization works

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the law that governs U.S. immigration, the government can revoke naturalized citizenship if it was obtained illegally — including through hiding a crime, lying under oath, or using a false identity. The government files a civil complaint in federal district court. A judge, not a jury, decides whether to cancel the certificate of naturalization. If citizenship is revoked, the person typically becomes a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) again — and may then face deportation proceedings.

The 10 cases filed over the past 30 days span serious allegations. A Cuban-born man, Yoskmaikel Rodriguez Perez, allegedly submitted over $886,000 in fraudulent Medicare claims before naturalizing in 2018 and then lied about it under oath to a USCIS officer. A Mexican-born former priest, Urbano Vazquez Ortega, was convicted of multiple counts of second-degree child sexual abuse committed before, during, and after his 2017 naturalization. A Pakistani man, Murtaza Ali, used three different identities to obtain immigration benefits and naturalized in 2009 under a false name. A Polish-born former Catholic priest, Marcin Stanislaw Garbacz, stole nearly $260,000 from church parishes and secretly recorded a 17-year-old showering — all before naturalizing in 2014. In each case, the DOJ alleges the person concealed criminal conduct that would have disqualified them from showing the "good moral character" required by law.

What this means if you are going through naturalization

USCIS requires every naturalization applicant to demonstrate good moral character, typically for the five years before filing Form N-400 (the Application for Naturalization). The agency asks directly on the form whether you have ever committed a crime, been arrested, or given false information to a government official. Lying on that form — or during the interview — is itself a federal crime and a separate ground for denaturalization. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated in July 2026 that the department is committed to using "every tool" to denaturalize and remove people who exploited the system.

What to do

• If you are preparing to file Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization), answer every question honestly — including arrests that were dismissed or expunged. Lawyers recommend disclosing and then explaining, rather than hiding.
• If you have any criminal history, even a minor one, consult an immigration attorney before filing. A conviction or arrest can affect your eligibility, and an attorney can assess whether it bars you from showing good moral character.
• If you are already a naturalized citizen and you are worried about past misrepresentations, speak with an immigration lawyer privately. Attorney-client privilege protects that conversation.
• If you receive any court notice or complaint related to your naturalization, do not ignore it. You have the right to respond in court. Missing a deadline in a denaturalization case can result in a default judgment against you.

Related: our step-by-step guide — “Immigration Court Rulings”.