Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Aug 4: The US Department of Justice has launched proceedings to revoke the citizenship of a Pakistani national and an Indian national over alleged immigration fraud, as part of what it described as the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in the country's history.
In a complaint filed in a Delaware court, the Justice Department alleged that 59-year-old Pakistani national Zia Murad Bhatti illegally entered the United States in 1992 using the name Raza Moorad and was subsequently ordered to leave the country.
According to the complaint, Bhatti instead remained in the US, married an American citizen under the name Bhatti and later obtained US citizenship. The department accused him of perjury, concealment of material facts, wilful misrepresentation and providing false testimony during the naturalisation process.
Bhatti is among 25 naturalised citizens against whom the Justice Department has initiated denaturalisation proceedings. Authorities said several others in the group face allegations involving serious offences, including attempted murder and child sexual assault.
In a separate case, the department has also sought to revoke the citizenship of 65-year-old Indian national Narinder Singh, alleging he used two different identities to gain admission into the US beginning in 1996 before becoming a citizen in 2008.
The complaint alleges Singh made multiple misrepresentations and committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on the good moral character required for US citizenship.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the latest filings marked "the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in Department history" and indicated that further actions would follow.
Last month, the Justice Department also moved to revoke the citizenship of Pakistan-born Murtaza Ali, 65, alleging he used multiple identities to obtain immigration benefits before becoming a US citizen in 2009 under the name "Muhammad Iqbal". Authorities said fingerprint analysis linked several immigration applications filed under different identities to the same individual.
The denaturalisation drive is part of President Donald Trump's broader immigration policy, which prioritises the deportation of illegal immigrants and convicted criminals.
The Justice Department said it has filed 123 civil denaturalisation cases since Trump began his second term on January 20 last year, the highest number in recorded US history.