The United States Department of Justice has launched what it described as the largest coordinated denaturalisation effort in its history, seeking to revoke the citizenship of 25 naturalised Americans accused of obtaining US citizenship through fraud, concealment, false identities or other unlawful means.
The civil denaturalisation actions were filed in various US district courts between July 20 and August 3, 2026, as part of a broader immigration enforcement push by the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to the Justice Department, the cases involve naturalised citizens from several countries who allegedly concealed material facts during their immigration and naturalisation processes, including previous deportation orders, sham marriages, fraudulent identities, violent crimes, child sexual offences and financial crimes.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said US citizenship remains one of the country’s highest privileges and must be obtained lawfully.
He said the latest filings represented the largest coordinated denaturalisation action in the Department’s history, adding that authorities would continue to use available legal tools to protect the integrity of the naturalisation process.
“Today’s filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalization 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 naturalization process and the safety of the American people,” Blanche said.
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate also described the action as the biggest denaturalisation surge on record, saying the individuals targeted allegedly committed offences incompatible with US citizenship.
The Justice Department said it has filed 123 civil denaturalisation complaints since January 20, 2025, the highest number ever recorded.
Under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, naturalised citizenship may be revoked where it is shown that citizenship was illegally procured or obtained through concealment of material facts or wilful misrepresentation.
Three Nigerians were named among the 25 persons facing the civil denaturalisation actions.
One of them, 56-year-old Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan, is accused of obtaining US citizenship under a false identity after allegedly being previously ordered deported under another name, Tinosa Joe Aigbedion. The Justice Department alleged that he failed to disclose the previous identity and the deportation order during his naturalisation process.
Another Nigerian, Yetunde Folake Olaniyi, 56, also known as Folake Rosemary Thomas, is accused of adopting a false identity after being ordered removed from the United States and allegedly entering into a sham marriage with a US citizen despite already being married to a Nigerian citizen. The DOJ said she later naturalised under the name Folake Rosemary Thomas and was convicted in 2014 for passport fraud after fingerprint checks revealed her true identity.
The third Nigerian, Vivian Chike Obichere, 72, is accused of concealing material facts during her naturalisation proceedings, including the alleged use of another person’s identity in applying for and using a passport. The Justice Department said she later pleaded guilty to false application and use of a passport.
The DOJ said the lawsuits are civil actions seeking revocation of citizenship and remain subject to determination by the courts.
S/N
Name
Country Of Origin
Age Listed By DOJ
1
Zia Murad Bhatti, also known as Raza Moorad
Pakistan
59
2
Tatiana Power
Moldova
46
3
Narinder Singh
India
65
4
Emigdio Sanchez
Mexico
62
5
Luisa Fernanda Ordonez
Colombia
54
6
Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan
Nigeria
56
7
Enos Fong Korti
Liberia
51
8
Yetunde Folake Olaniyi, also known as Folake Rosemary Thomas
Nigeria
56
9
Mohd Wasif, also known as Mohammad Khanwasif
Pakistan
56/58
10
Esther Quayle
Ghana
50
11
Dwyane Robinson
Jamaica
44
12
Yi Lee
Taiwan
46
13
Eddie Jones Appah
Ghana
66/67
14
Jose Luis Martinez-Zavala
Mexico
80
15
Vivian Chike Obichere
Nigeria
72
16
Jose Francisco Cruz
Honduras
72
17
Francois Nguessi Dame
Cameroon
65
18
Haitham A. Mustafa
Jordan
58
19
Jairo Javier Pedron Tellez
Cuba
29
20
Carlos Ernesto Giron
El Salvador
65
21
Juan Camilo Montoya
Colombia
34
22
Cantave Previlon
Haiti
63
23
Syed Tanweer Ahmad, also known as Timothy Syed Andersson/Tanweer Ahmad Syed
Sweden
82
24
Miguel Eduardo Romero
El Salvador
67
25
Manuel Antonio La Rosa-Lopez
Peru
68
The post “US Moves To Revoke Citizenship Of 25 Naturalised Americans” — Three Nigerians Named As DOJ Launches Largest Coordinated Denaturalisation Push appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.