Al Qaeda Supporter Faces Citizenship Revocation in Illinois

MARION, IL – The Justice Department is moving to strip U.S. citizenship from Iyman Faris, 47, a convicted Al Qaeda conspirator currently serving a 20-year sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois. A civil lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Illinois alleges Faris fraudulently obtained his citizenship, concealing his ties to the terrorist organization.

Faris, originally from Pakistan and formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced in October 2003 by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda and for actually providing that support. The government now claims Faris initially entered the United States using another person’s passport and repeatedly lied on subsequent immigration applications to secure benefits.

The lawsuit details allegations that Faris not only misrepresented his entry into the country but also provided false testimony on multiple occasions to expedite his path to citizenship. Crucially, the government argues that Faris lacked the necessary attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution at the time he was naturalized on December 16, 1999 – a deficiency demonstrably proven by his 2003 federal conviction for aiding a designated terrorist organization.

“The Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation will continue to pursue denaturalization proceedings against known or suspected terrorists who procured their citizenship by fraud,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler. “The U.S. government is dedicated to strengthening the security of our nation and preventing the exploitation of our nation’s immigration system by those who would do harm to our country.”

U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce for the Southern District of Illinois echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of the naturalization process. “It is important to ensure the path to legal naturalization remains secure and free of fraud,” Boyce said. “When people enter the United States, immigrate, and later become citizens, all done through fraud and misrepresentation, their unlawful actions harm the integrity of our immigration system.”

The Immigration and Nationality Act allows for the revocation of citizenship if it was illegally obtained through fraud or concealment of material facts. The case is being jointly investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the litigation handled by Trial Attorney Edward S. White and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Biersbach. It’s critical to note that the claims in the complaint are allegations at this stage, and no determination of liability has been made.