The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a legal bid to revoke the citizenship of Mohammad Sheikh, a naturalized U.S. citizen and former Marine, following his conviction for sex crimes involving minors.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The move is part of a broader “denaturalization crackdown” announced by the Trump administration on May 8, 2026. Sheikh is one of 12 individuals currently targeted in a wave of filings aimed at naturalized citizens convicted of serious offenses, including terrorism, war crimes, and sexual abuse.
The Case Against Mohammad Sheikh
The DOJ’s argument for denaturalization rests on two primary pillars:
- Undisclosed Criminal Conduct: Prosecutors allege that in July 2019—prior to his naturalization—Sheikh possessed indecent digital images of two minors and posted one to social media. By failing to disclose these acts during his citizenship application process, the DOJ argues he lacked the “good moral character” required for naturalization.
- Failure of Military Service Requirements: Sheikh obtained his citizenship through his service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Under 8 U.S.C. § 1440(c), those who naturalize via military service must serve honorably for at least five years. Sheikh, however, received an “other than honorable” discharge due to his misconduct, which the government argues nullifies his eligibility.
A Shift in Enforcement
While denaturalization was historically reserved for extreme cases—averaging roughly 11 filings per year for decades—the current administration has significantly ramped up the practice.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate have signaled that the DOJ is “leveraging every tool available” to address what they describe as a backlog of individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud or misrepresentation. This follows a similar high-profile case from late 2025 involving Nicholas Eshun, another former Marine who faced denaturalization after a conviction for attempted sexual abuse.
Legal Pathways for Revocation
To successfully strip a person of their citizenship, the government must prove one of the following in federal court:
- Illegal Procurement: The individual was legally ineligible for citizenship at the time it was granted (e.g., they had committed a disqualifying crime).
- Willful Misrepresentation: The individual intentionally lied about or concealed a “material fact” during their naturalization interview or on their N-400 application form.
