Full list: 3 Nigerians Affected as US Moves to Revoke Citizenship of 25 Naturalised Citizens
- The US Department of Justice filed a record 25 civil denaturalisation cases against naturalised citizens
- Three Nigerian-born naturalised Americans were among those targeted, with prosecutors alleging they concealed deportation orders
- The Justice Department said the latest filings formed the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in US history
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The United States Department of Justice has launched what it described as the largest denaturalisation effort in the country's history, filing civil cases to revoke the citizenship of 25 naturalised Americans, including three Nigerians, over allegations ranging from immigration fraud to violent crimes and child sexual abuse.
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In a statement released on Monday, August 3, the Justice Department said the complaints, filed in federal district courts between July 20 and August 3, seek to strip the individuals of US citizenship on the grounds that it was obtained illegally through fraud, concealment of material facts or wilful misrepresentation.
US Citizenship Revocation Cases Explained Simply
The department said the latest filings bring the total number of civil denaturalisation complaints since January 20, 2025, to 123, the highest on record.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said US citizenship remained one of the country's highest privileges and must be obtained lawfully.
He alleged that those named in the complaints secured naturalisation by hiding violent criminal histories, child sexual offences, fraudulent identities and other disqualifying information.
Blanche said the latest filings represented the largest coordinated denaturalisation operation in the department's history, adding that authorities would continue using legal measures to protect the integrity of the naturalisation process.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate described the action as the biggest denaturalisation surge on record, saying the department was moving quickly against individuals accused of deceiving immigration authorities.
Three Nigerians Named In US Crackdown
Among those listed were three Nigerian-born naturalised US citizens.
The Justice Department filed a case against Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan, 56, in the District of Massachusetts, alleging he obtained US citizenship under a false identity after previously being ordered deported under another name. Prosecutors claimed he concealed the earlier deportation order and made multiple false statements during the naturalisation process.
Another Nigerian, Yetunde Folake Olaniyi, 56, also known as Folake Rosemary Thomas, was accused of adopting a new identity after being ordered removed from the United States.
According to the complaint, she allegedly entered into a sham marriage with a US citizen while still married to another Nigerian man, obtained permanent residency through the marriage and later became a US citizen. She was convicted of passport fraud in 2014 after investigators linked her to her original identity.
The third Nigerian, Vivian Chike Obichere, 72, faces allegations that she concealed the use of another person's identity during her naturalisation proceedings. The Justice Department said she later pleaded guilty to passport-related offences after admitting she had previously applied for and used a US passport bearing another person's identity.
Other cases
The remaining cases involve naturalised citizens from several countries, including Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Taiwan, Liberia, Cameroon, Jordan, Cuba, El Salvador, Peru, Honduras, India, Moldova and Sweden.
According to the Justice Department, the allegations include attempted murder, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, marriage fraud, identity theft, immigration fraud, bank fraud, passport fraud and concealment of criminal conduct during the naturalisation process.
The department stressed that the complaints are civil actions and that all allegations remain unproven unless established in court. It noted that there has been no determination of liability against any of the defendants.
US embassy explains how long Nigerians can stay in America
In a previous report, the United States Mission in Nigeria has reminded travellers that holding a valid U.S. visa does not automatically determine how long they can remain in the country.
The embassy urged international visitors to verify their authorised period of stay through their electronic arrival record after entering the United States
Source: Legit.ng
