Indian-origin man among 25 in biggest US denaturalisation fraud crackdown

Washington,UPDATED: Aug 4, 2026 09:26 IST

An Indian-origin man is among 25 people facing proceedings to revoke their US citizenship over alleged offences ranging from identity fraud to attempted murder and child sexual abuse, according to American authorities. The US Justice Department said the latest filings are part of what it described as its largest coordinated denaturalisation drive.

The department has filed a case in the District of Delaware against 65-year-old Narinder Singh, alleging that he used a fraudulent identity to seek admission to the US. It said Singh used two identities to gain admission to the country beginning in 1996 and later became a naturalised US citizen on May 1, 2008.

According to the Justice Department, the complaint against Singh includes seven counts linked to what it called numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect his moral character. Among the 25 people against whom denaturalisation proceedings have been initiated are also two persons of Pakistani descent, Zia Murad Bhatti and Mohd Wasif, for allegedly falsifying identity.

"US citizenship is one of our nation's highest privileges, and it must be obtained lawfully and honestly," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement on Monday. "The complaints announced today allege that these individuals secured naturalisation through fraud, concealment, or other unlawful conduct -- including by concealing violent crimes, sexual offences against children, fraudulent identities, and other disqualifying facts," he said.

The complaints against the 25 individuals were filed between July 20 and August 3 and involve naturalised US citizens who are natives of 17 countries: Pakistan, Moldova, India, Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Jamaica, Taiwan, Honduras, Cameroon, Jordan, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti and Sweden. "Today's filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in Department history, but they are only the beginning. The Justice Department will continue to use every tool available to protect the integrity of the naturalisation process and the safety of the American people," Blanche added.

The department said the latest cases take its total denaturalisation filings to 123 since January 20, 2025, as the Trump administration steps up efforts to strip citizenship from people it says obtained it unlawfully. The complaints cover a wide range of alleged conduct, including attempted murder, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, marriage fraud, identity fraud, passport fraud, bank and credit card fraud, and practising medicine without a license. "Today marks the largest denaturalisation surge in recorded history," said Brett Shumate, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Civil Division. In sum, the latest filings target 25 naturalised US citizens, including Singh, as part of a wider push by the department to challenge citizenship obtained through alleged fraud or other unlawful conduct.

With PTI Inputs

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