GULFPORT, MS – Felix Aguilar-Matias, a 51-year-old Mexican national, is facing the consequences of a calculated deception. He was sentenced to three months in federal prison and, more damningly, had his United States citizenship revoked after being convicted of Naturalization Fraud. The case, exposed by federal investigators, highlights the lengths some will go to achieve a status they haven’t earned—and the repercussions when the truth surfaces.
Court documents reveal Aguilar-Matias pled guilty on February 18, 2025, to the charge of Naturalization Fraud. He initially secured citizenship in March 2015, after submitting his Application for Naturalization to U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in August 2014. However, the façade crumbled in October 2019 when the Bay St. Louis Police Department in Hancock County arrested him. The arrest exposed a hidden past.
Aguilar-Matias subsequently pled guilty and was convicted of two felony offenses, admitting these crimes occurred between August 2010 and December 2010—a period before his citizenship application. He was sentenced to a lengthy 20-year term by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and remains incarcerated. Federal agents swiftly determined Aguilar-Matias deliberately concealed this criminal history on his naturalization application, a clear violation of federal law.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon. Brian Acuna, Acting Field Office Director of ICE/ERO in New Orleans, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to identify and prosecute those who attempt to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. The investigation was spearheaded by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris skillfully prosecuted the case, building a solid case against Aguilar-Matias. The prosecution’s success underscores the dedication of federal law enforcement to uncovering and punishing immigration-related fraud. This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s part of a larger, nationwide effort.
The case falls under “Operation Take Back America,” a Department of Justice initiative designed to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from violent crime. The operation streamlines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood, signifying a full-scale assault on criminal activity at the border and within the nation’s borders. Aguilar-Matias’s case serves as a stark warning: deception will be exposed, and citizenship earned through fraud will be revoked. Learn more about Operation Take Back America.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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