US Court Strips Citizenship Over Hidden War Crimes
You hid your name, entered the US, and eventually became a citizen. For nearly two decades, it worked. On July 17, 2026, a federal court in Tennessee ended that — stripping a man's US citizenship after finding he lied to officials while a Bosnian war crimes warrant hung over his head. The case shows that the naturalization process has a long memory.
You applied for US citizenship, answered every question, and took the oath. But what if you lied during that process — about who you are, or what you did before you arrived? A federal court in Tennessee just showed what happens next. On July 17, 2026, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee revoked the citizenship of Sead Miljkovic, also known as Sead Dukic, a man who hid his real identity to enter the United States in 1996 and later naturalized as a US citizen in 2007.
What the Court Found
The court ruled that Miljkovic illegally obtained his citizenship because he lacked the good moral character required to naturalize — a legal standard that every applicant must meet. The reason: he gave false testimony to US government officials. At the time the government granted him citizenship, a Bosnian court had already issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes against civilians. That warrant, issued on January 23, 2007, led to an INTERPOL Red Notice. According to the Red Notice, on June 18, 1994, Miljkovic — acting as a member of the security forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB), a short-lived breakaway entity — and accomplices beat twelve civilians with wooden bats and locked them in a morgue for five days without light or water.
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Miljkovic consented to the judgment revoking his citizenship. He has not yet appeared before a Bosnian court on the war crimes charges. The case was prosecuted by the Justice Department's Office of Immigration Litigation, Denaturalization Unit, with help from the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and ICE's Human Rights Violator Law Division, after an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Civil Division stated that the administration treats protecting US citizenship as a priority and will pursue those who use it to escape accountability for serious crimes abroad.
What This Means for the Naturalization Process
This case is a reminder that the naturalization process includes a legal requirement of good moral character — and that US authorities can and do investigate applicants' histories, including records from other countries. Lying to immigration officials, even years before your naturalization interview, can be used as grounds to revoke citizenship later. The government's Denaturalization Unit actively pursues these cases.
What to do
- If you are preparing a naturalization application (Form N-400), answer all questions honestly — including questions about your history abroad. Omitting facts, even from decades ago, can be treated as false testimony.
- If you have any criminal history, arrest warrants, or involvement with government or military forces in another country, speak with an immigration lawyer before filing. Lawyers can help you understand how that history affects your eligibility.
- If you are already a naturalized citizen and receive any notice from USCIS or the Justice Department questioning your naturalization, do not respond without an attorney. The government has the power to open denaturalization proceedings in federal court.
- If you are in removal proceedings or facing an immigration court hearing, be aware that false statements made at any point in your immigration history — not just at the final interview — can affect your case.
Related: our step-by-step guide — “Appealing to the BIA”.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
This case illustrates that the good moral character requirement for naturalization is not just a formality — USCIS and the Justice Department can and do investigate foreign records, INTERPOL notices, and prior government affiliations. If you have any history with foreign military, security, or government forces, disclose it to your attorney before filing Form N-400, because omissions discovered later can trigger denaturalization proceedings in federal court. Consult an experienced immigration attorney to assess your specific situation before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the US government take away citizenship after it has already been granted?
Yes. The government can file a civil lawsuit in federal court to revoke — or 'denaturalize' — a person's citizenship if it finds that the citizenship was illegally obtained. Common grounds include lying to immigration officials or lacking the required good moral character at the time of naturalization.
What is 'good moral character' in the naturalization process?
Good moral character is a legal requirement for naturalization. It generally means you have not committed certain crimes or made false statements to the government during the period before your application. Giving false testimony to immigration officials is one of the acts that can disqualify you.
What happens to someone after their citizenship is revoked?
After denaturalization, the person loses US citizenship and typically reverts to their prior immigration status — or may have no legal status at all. They can then become subject to removal proceedings (deportation). In this case, the man also faces a pending war crimes case in Bosnia.
Does an INTERPOL Red Notice automatically affect my immigration case?
An INTERPOL Red Notice is an international alert that a country is seeking someone's arrest. US immigration authorities can and do check international law enforcement databases. If a Red Notice exists against you, it can be used as evidence in immigration or denaturalization proceedings. Lawyers recommend disclosing any foreign legal issues to an attorney immediately.