DOJ to Denaturalize 17 Migrants Facing Criminal Allegations

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is moving to denaturalize 17 individuals across the US due to a range of allegations and convictions, according to an announcement on Monday.

The Allegations: The DOJ cited the following cases:

• Leidys Delmas Garcia: conspiracy to commit health care fraud
• Jean Claude Alfred: sexual assault of a child
• Andrea Marroquin: conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and money laundering
• Maria Lourdes Montoya: identity fraud
• Tahir Lekaj: sexual abuse of a child, two counts
• Talman Harris: conspiracy to commit financial fraud
• Armando Mendoza: possession of child pornagraphy
• Neeraj Sharma: identity fraud, eleven counts
• Federico Michel Fermin: conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs
• Abdikadir Ali Kadiye: identity fraud, two counts
• Victor San Shing Kwok: identity fraud
• Louise Hunkporti: identity fraud
• Fernando Cristancho: sexual abuse of a child
• Ronnie Price: statutory rape of a child
• Rodger George Gurdon: conspiracy to steal and resell medical products
• Jheromell Obejera Arcilla: sexual abuse of a child relative
• Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres: conspiracy to commit financial fraud

For Context: The Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to "deny or revoke the approval of a petition, application, or benefit" if he or she determines such an approval may be a conflict of interest or threat to the US, specifically if fraud is used to gain such approvals. All cited cases involve alleged fraud.

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How The Media Covered It: Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) adopted the DOJ's language in its headline, stating, "DOJ moves to strip fraudsters, sex offenders, and drug dealers of US citizenship in 'unprecedented' denaturalization surge." Reuters (Center) contrastingly and more softly referred to the individuals as "naturalized people," though it did note the allegations in its lede. CNN (Lean Left) framed the department's actions critically, as an "unprecedented denaturalization push." Media on the left covered this story more overall, but the right's coverage more prominently emphasized the criminal allegations.

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