The administration of Donald Trump has commenced legal proceedings to revoke the United States citizenship of two Nigerian-born men, George Oyakhire and Adeyeye Ariyo Akambi, over alleged identity fraud as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed on Friday that federal courts had been asked to denaturalise the two Nigerians alongside 11 other foreign-born Americans accused of offences ranging from immigration fraud and war crimes to sexual abuse and support for terrorism.
According to the department, Oyakhire allegedly obtained American citizenship under a false identity after entering the United States in 1986 with his real name, George Ofuan Oyakhire.
The Justice Department stated that the 66-year-old later used the identity “Oliver Bennett Oyakhire” and a different birth date to secure temporary residency in 1988 before becoming a permanent resident in 1990.
It added that Oyakhire applied for naturalisation in 1995 using the alleged false identity and was granted U.S. citizenship in 1996.
The department also accused Akambi, 65, of concealing a previous deportation from the United States before obtaining permanent residency and eventual citizenship under another identity.
The DoJ said Akambi’s citizenship was fraudulently obtained because he allegedly failed to disclose his prior removal from the country during the naturalisation process.
Other individuals listed in the denaturalisation cases include Iraqi-born Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, accused of unlawfully procuring citizenship; Colombian national Oscar Alberto Pelaez, accused of sexual abuse of a minor; and Moroccan-born Khalid Ouazzani, accused of giving false testimony during citizenship proceedings.
The department is also pursuing cases against Somali-born Salah Osman Ahmed over alleged support for terrorists, Gambian national Baboucarr Mboob over alleged war crimes, and Bolivian-born Kevin Robin Suarez for allegedly concealing facts during his naturalisation process.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said individuals involved in fraud, sexual abuse, or terrorism-related activities should never have been granted American citizenship.
He said the Trump administration was determined to address what he described as serious abuses of the U.S. immigration system and warned that those who concealed criminal histories during naturalisation would face the full weight of the law.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate also said the department would continue pursuing cases involving citizenship allegedly obtained through fraud or misrepresentation.
Under U.S. immigration laws, citizenship acquired through naturalisation can be revoked if it was obtained illegally or through deliberate concealment or misrepresentation of material facts.
The The New York Times had reported in April that the Justice Department identified hundreds of foreign-born American citizens for possible denaturalisation investigations.
