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Al Qaeda Conspirator Charged with Procuring Citizenship by Fraud
A chilling revelation has surfaced in the Southern District of Illinois, where a naturalized U.S. citizen has been accused of unlawfully procuring his citizenship. Iyman Faris, a 47-year-old native of Pakistan, is currently serving a criminal sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois.
According to the indictment, Faris entered the United States fraudulently in 1999 using another’s passport. He willfully misrepresented the circumstances under which he entered the country on subsequent applications for immigration benefits and testified falsely to obtain these benefits.
The U.S. government has filed a civil action against Faris, alleging that he lacked the required attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution at the time of his naturalization. This is evident in his 2003 federal conviction for providing material support to al Qaeda, a designated terrorist organization.
Faris was naturalized as a U.S. citizen on December 16, 1999. The government seeks to revoke his citizenship and cancel his certificate of naturalization, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act. This law allows for the revocation of citizenship if it was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
The case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The litigation is being handled by Trial Attorney Edward S. White of the Office of Immigration Litigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Biersbach of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 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.
Faris’s case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring the integrity of our immigration system. The prosecution of this case demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. government to preventing immigration fraud and ensuring that the path to legal naturalization remains secure and free of fraud.
Defendant Details:
Defendant: Iyman Faris
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, providing material support to al Qaeda
City/State: Marion, Illinois
Exact Date: October 2003
Sentence/Outcome: 20 years in prison
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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