Indian CEO Neeraj Sharma Among 17 Targeted for Alleged H-1B Visa Fraud in US Denaturalisation Drive, Citizenship Revocation Sought
The US Justice Department has launched a major denaturalisation drive targeting 17 naturalised citizens accused of serious fraud or criminal activity. Indian-born CEO Neeraj Sharma is among those facing citizenship revocation due to his involvement in an H-1B visa fraud scheme. The government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward those who obtained citizenship through intentional misrepresentation.
The United States Department of Justice announced on June 8 the commencement of a significant denaturalisation initiative, filing legal actions against 17 naturalised citizens accused of obtaining their status through fraud or willful misrepresentation. This campaign, described by administration officials as one of the largest in American history, targets individuals alleged to have concealed serious criminal conduct, including immigration fraud, financial crimes, and violent offences.
India CEOs Facing H-1B Visa Loss, One of Affected is Neeraj Sharma
Among the individuals targeted is 50-year-old Neeraj Sharma, an India-born businessman and former CEO of the New Jersey-based staffing firm Magnavision LLC. Federal authorities allege that Sharma submitted 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions between 2015 and 2017, falsely claiming that foreign workers would be employed at a major global financial institution. The Justice Department states that these applications included forged executive signatures and fabricated supporting documentation. H-1B Visa Fee Update: US Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Administration's USD 100,000 Levy Following Multistate Legal Challenge.
The complaint further asserts that Sharma unlawfully procured his US citizenship in December 2017 by providing false testimony. During his naturalisation process, Sharma reportedly denied having committed any offence for which he had not been arrested and claimed he had never provided misleading information to government officials. He was later convicted of visa fraud in 2021, and the government is now seeking to revoke his citizenship on the grounds that his naturalisation was illegally obtained through material misrepresentation.
Context of the Broader Denaturalisation Push
The legal action against Sharma and 16 others forms part of an intensified effort by the Trump administration to utilise denaturalisation proceedings more frequently. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the US government holds the authority to revoke the citizenship of naturalised individuals if it can be proven that the status was procured through concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentation. Indian H-1B Workers May Be Affected as US Bill Seeks to End Green Card Route and Scrap OPT Programme.
While denaturalisation has historically been reserved for rare cases involving national security threats or human rights abuses, administration officials have framed the current initiative as a move to restore integrity to the immigration system. Those named in this latest round of actions will have the opportunity to contest the allegations in federal court. If these individuals are successfully denaturalised, they lose the legal protections associated with American citizenship and may become subject to deportation proceedings.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 10, 2026 09:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).