The U.S. Department of Justice wants to strip naturalized citizenship from five men who allegedly lied during their interviews and in paperwork about having sexually abusing children.
Two of the defendants are from Mexico. The other three are from Colombia, Guyana and the Philippines.
"Those who wish to become American citizens ought to respect our laws and seek citizenship lawfully and honestly," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday. "The Justice Department will continue to seek out fraudsters and bring them to justice by obtaining orders revoking their naturalized citizenship."
All five men pleaded guilty to charges of sexually abusing children either before or during their naturalization processes, but withheld that information from immigration officers.
Four of the men are under community supervision or on probation or have been ordered to register as sex offenders. A fifth man was sentenced to 40 years in a California prison.
It is unclear if the men will be forced to return to their home countries if they lose their U.S. citizenship.
