The Hidden Risks of Naturalization Fraud and How It Leads to Automatic Loss
June 26, 2025
Becoming a U.S. citizen is a dream realized for many immigrants. After years of navigating the immigration system, gaining lawful permanent residence, and ultimately naturalizing, citizenship is supposed to be the final, secure step in the journey. But what if that status could be stripped away—automatically? We’ll explain how certain actions, especially criminal offenses and misrepresentations during the naturalization process can lead to automatic revocation of U.S. citizenship.
LaToya McBean Pompy, who immigrated to the United States herself, was inspired to help families unite by founding McBean Law, a New York immigration law firm. If you or a loved one needs assistance with denaturalization issues or visa applications, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today. You can contact us here or call (914) 898-9488 to schedule a private consultation with LaToya and her team of experienced immigration attorneys, who are ready to guide you through every step of the process.
Automatic Revocation Explained
Most naturalized citizens believe their status is permanent. But the truth is, under certain legal circumstances, U.S. citizenship can be revoked automatically—without going through the longer civil denaturalization process. This can happen when a person is convicted of naturalization fraud, a federal criminal offense.
Naturalization fraud typically involves knowingly lying or omitting crucial information on the N-400 naturalization application, such as criminal activity—even if the person was never arrested for it. If that falsehood is discovered later, the government may bring criminal charges, and a conviction can lead to automatic loss of citizenship.
The Legal Basis for Automatic Revocation
Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1425) allows for serious penalties if someone unlawfully procures naturalization. The penalties can range from:
- Up to 10 years in prison for a standard offense
- Up to 20 years if the offense facilitated drug trafficking
- Up to 25 years if connected to terrorism
If convicted, the person’s citizenship is automatically revoked by law. There is no need for USCIS to bring a separate civil denaturalization case. Courts have confirmed this in cases like U.S. v. Garcia (2018), where the Fourth Circuit ruled that revocation is mandatory once a conviction occurs.
Real-Life Example: The Nigerian Fraud Case
In one recent case, a Nigerian-born man who became a U.S. citizen in 2018 was later convicted in a major fraud scheme that took place years earlier—from 2008 to 2011. He answered “No” on his naturalization form when asked if he had ever committed a crime for which he hadn’t been arrested.
At the time, he hadn’t yet been charged. But after he was convicted in 2024 for conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and bank fraud, prosecutors filed new charges of naturalization fraud. He now faces up to 30 years in prison and automatic revocation of his citizenship.
This case shows that even if a crime occurred long before the naturalization process, and even if there were no charges at the time of application, answering dishonestly can have devastating consequences down the road.
You can watch Attorney LaToya McBean Pompy’s detailed YouTube video, “How the Government Can Strip Your US Citizenship Away (Automatically!),” where she breaks down the serious consequences of naturalization fraud, real-life government cases, and the legal process that can lead to automatic revocation of citizenship.
