Indian American businessman Neeraj Sharma is among 17 naturalized U.S. citizens facing efforts by the Trump administration to revoke their citizenship as part of a broader crackdown on immigration-related fraud.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced a series of denaturalization cases against individuals accused of obtaining American citizenship through fraud, concealment of material facts, or other forms of misrepresentation. Officials have described the initiative as one of the largest citizenship revocation efforts undertaken by the federal government in recent years.
Sharma, a 50-year-old India-born entrepreneur and former CEO of New Jersey-based staffing firm Magnavision LLC, was included in the latest round of cases.
According to court filings, federal prosecutors allege that Sharma’s company submitted fraudulent H-1B visa petitions on behalf of foreign workers. Authorities claim that between 2015 and 2017, Magnavision filed 11 petitions stating that the workers would be employed by a major international financial services company.
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Investigators say the filings contained forged executive signatures and fabricated supporting documents. The government alleges the petitions were part of a scheme to obtain visas under false pretenses.
The case against Sharma extends beyond the alleged visa fraud. Federal authorities also contend that he made false statements during the naturalization process.
According to court documents, Sharma stated under oath in his 2017 citizenship application that he had not committed any offense for which he had not been arrested, had not provided false information to U.S. government officials, and had never sought immigration benefits through deception. Prosecutors argue those statements were inaccurate and that Sharma failed to disclose conduct that could have affected his eligibility for citizenship.
Sharma became a U.S. citizen in December 2017. He was later convicted on visa fraud charges connected to the H-1B scheme. The Justice Department now argues that his citizenship was obtained through material misrepresentations, making it subject to revocation.
Sharma is one of 17 naturalized citizens named in the Justice Department’s latest denaturalization actions. The group includes individuals accused or convicted of offenses ranging from immigration and financial fraud to other serious crimes. Federal officials maintain that people who secured citizenship unlawfully should not be allowed to retain it.
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While denaturalization cases remain relatively uncommon, they have become an increasingly prominent part of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. If the government succeeds in court, those targeted could lose their U.S. citizenship and potentially face removal proceedings.
Denaturalization is a legal process that allows the federal government to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans. Under U.S. immigration law, authorities may seek denaturalization if they believe citizenship was obtained illegally or through the concealment of significant facts.
Unlike birthright citizenship, naturalized citizenship can be challenged when the government presents evidence that an applicant was ineligible at the time citizenship was granted or obtained it through fraud. Such cases are heard in federal court, where defendants have the opportunity to contest the allegations before a judge issues a final decision.
The cases are expected to test the administration’s expanded use of denaturalization powers and could have significant implications for how the government pursues citizenship fraud claims in the future.