Highlights:
- DOJ seeks to revoke Neeraj Sharma’s US citizenship.
- Prosecutors allege 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions.
- Sharma allegedly concealed criminal conduct during naturalization.
- Citizenship was granted in 2017 before later conviction.
- Case is part of broader federal denaturalization effort.
The US Department of Justice has launched denaturalization proceedings against 17 naturalized American citizens accused of offenses ranging from visa fraud and financial crimes to sex-related offenses. Among those named is Neeraj Sharma, a 50-year-old Indian-American resident of New Jersey, whose case has drawn attention as part of a broader federal campaign targeting individuals accused of obtaining US citizenship through fraud or concealment.
According to federal prosecutors, Sharma submitted 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions that falsely represented employment opportunities at a global financial institution. Authorities allege the petitions were supported by forged signatures of company executives and contained false information designed to secure immigration benefits.
The Justice Department argues that Sharma’s conduct violated immigration laws and that the alleged fraud continued into the period during which he sought American citizenship.
Sharma applied for naturalization in 2017. Prosecutors contend that during the citizenship process he concealed prior criminal conduct and provided false testimony under oath during his naturalization interview. Despite those alleged omissions and misrepresentations, he was granted US citizenship in December 2017.
Federal authorities later arrested Sharma in 2019. He was subsequently convicted of fraud and misuse of visas linked to conduct that prosecutors say occurred between April 2015 and April 2017.
Based on those allegations and convictions, the government now maintains that Sharma’s citizenship was unlawfully obtained and should be revoked under federal law.
The denaturalization action against Sharma is one of several cases recently filed in district courts across the country. The Justice Department says the cases involve individuals accused of securing naturalization through fraud, concealment of material facts, or other forms of misrepresentation.
The legal authority for such actions comes from the Immigration and Nationality Act, which permits the government to revoke citizenship if it determines that naturalization was obtained illegally or through willful deception. Federal officials stress that denaturalization applies only to naturalized citizens and does not affect individuals who acquired citizenship by birth.
Senior administration officials have framed the effort as part of a broader initiative to protect the integrity of the US immigration and naturalization system.
"American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege. DHS will not stand idly by while Americans are harmed by criminals including sex offenders, perpetrators of fraud, and drug traffickers who have exploited our generosity and gamed our immigration system. We will continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens."
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin
Federal officials have also emphasized that criminal conduct connected to the immigration process will continue to face scrutiny.
"When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters. Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process."
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
The Sharma case comes as the federal government expands enforcement efforts aimed at identifying individuals who allegedly obtained citizenship through unlawful means. Officials say the ongoing actions involve a broad range of offenses, including visa fraud, financial crimes, and other serious violations.
The outcome of Sharma’s case, along with the other denaturalization proceedings currently underway, could serve as an important test of how aggressively the government pursues citizenship revocation in cases involving alleged immigration fraud.
For now, federal prosecutors maintain that Sharma’s alleged actions before and during the naturalization process render his citizenship invalid under the law, making him one of 17 naturalized Americans currently facing denaturalization proceedings initiated by the Department of Justice.
An artist’s rendering of the project.