Pakistani man to lose US citizenship because of immigration fraud

Pakistani-origin man Murtaza Ali is set to be deported from the US as the Department of Justice filed a denaturalization plea against him after he pleaded guilty to the fraud that he committed to get immigration benefits. 65-year-old Murtaza Ali filed multiple applications for immigration benefits under different aliases until he obtained a grant of an immigration benefit under the alias “Muhammad Iqbal" and not "Mortaza Ali". He was granted citizenship in 2009. Following Ali’s naturalization, a fingerprint expert determined that the fingerprints provided with immigration benefits applications filed under the names “Mortaza Ali” and “Muhammad Iqbal” were made by the same person. The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas charged Ali with making False Material Statements to an Agency of the United States. In 2014, Ali pleaded guilty as charged, admitting that he had filed three separate applications for immigration benefits using three different identities. On July 14, 2026, the United States filed a four-count denaturalization action in the Northern District of Texas alleging that Ali procured his citizenship by committing immigration fraud, engaging in unlawful acts that reflect adversely on his moral character, providing false testimony under oath during the naturalization process, and procuring citizenship through the concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. The DOJ has filed for the denaturalization of nine others, including child molesters and scammers. “These ten criminal aliens, including child sex abusers, a $900,000 Medicare fraudster, and a cocaine trafficker, lied their way into US citizenship,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Each of these individuals lacked the good moral character required by law and procured citizenship through willful misrepresentations and concealment of their crimes. Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will continue to aggressively pursue denaturalization to restore integrity to America’s naturalization process.” “When you commit fraud during the naturalization process, you forfeit the right to keep your U.S. citizenship,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “These criminal aliens, comprised of drug traffickers, pedophiles, and fraudsters, lost that right and exploited our immigration system, harming real US citizens. DHS is committed to ensuring we denaturalize and remove these fraudsters with every tool at our disposal. ” “We refuse to give a free pass to criminals who cheated their way into American citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Under this administration, if you defrauded the naturalization process, you will face the full force of the Justice Department. We’ve only scratched the surface — many more complaints are coming.”