Latest news with #UnitedStatesDepartmentofJustice
Mint
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Who will replace Pam Bondi as Attorney General? Indian-origin Harmeet Dhillon among top names amid Epstein backlash
The United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently concluded that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did not have a "client list," thereby contradicting earlier statements made by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who claimed that such a list was 'on her desk.' Following this, Bondi faced severe criticism, with some MAGA loyalists even demanding her resignation regarding her handling of the Epstein case. Amid the speculations over Bondi's exit, several individuals have been considered as potential candidates for the position of Attorney General. Laura Loomer, MAGA loyalist, claimed on X that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is a leading contender. In a post on the social media platform X, Loomer wrote,'If Blondi is fired, I'm told @Ron DeSantis has been considered/floated for the role of Attorney General by some over the last few months." She further wrote, 'There's also a private push behind the scenes by some GOP donors who want to see Ken Paxton as AG, but he has US Senate aspirations. However, discussions have been taking place for several months about who could be Blondi's replacement if she ever was fired or resigned. She has not done a good job as AG and everyone knows it." Meanwhile, Megyn Kelly suggested Jeanine Pirro and Harmeet Dhillon as suitable candidates at Friday's Turning Point UK summit. "Jeanine Pirro is totally confirmable. She will be great," Kelly said at Friday's Turning Point USA summit. 'Harmeet Dhillon could also do it.' Former Congressman George Santos suggested Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as a possible contender for Attorney General. In a post on X, Santos wrote,'Matt Gaetz is MIA at Turning Points USA tonight! Something is in motion!' However, when a social media user noted that the role Attorney General needs confirmation of the Senate, Santos replied, 'Well he can serve 120 days as interim AG and that's enough to clear this mess up no?' (With inputs from agencies)
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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
US steps up move to strip citizenship from some naturalised immigrants
The United States Department of Justice has expanded efforts to strip citizenship from naturalised Americans, particularly in cases involving fraud or criminal convictions. In an internal memo dated June 11, reviewed by The Guardian, the department placed denaturalisation among its top five enforcement priorities. Assistant Attorney General Brett A Shumate instructed the civil division to 'prioritise and maximally pursue denaturalisation proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence'. The new directive is expected to affect a wide base of foreign-born citizens. According to 2023 government data, nearly 25 million immigrants in the US hold naturalised status. Politicians and veterans among those targeted While most proceedings involve individuals accused of lying on forms or committing fraud, the crackdown has reached into public life. The White House is weighing action against Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City, who was born outside the US. Congressman Andy Ogles has urged the administration to revoke Mamdani's citizenship, alleging he may have concealed his support for 'terrorism' during the naturalisation process. 'The president is considering an investigation,' said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. In another case, a federal judge on June 13 ordered the revocation of citizenship for Elliott Duke, a military veteran originally from the UK. Duke had been convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material. NPR reported that Duke, who uses they/them pronouns, admitted to the offences before becoming a US citizen. After relinquishing their British citizenship during the naturalisation process, Duke is now stateless and reportedly struggled to find legal representation in the civil case. Civil route raises legal concerns The government is increasingly relying on civil litigation rather than criminal prosecution to revoke citizenship. This shift has raised alarm among legal scholars and immigration attorneys, who argue it lowers protections for the accused. 'Stripping Americans of citizenship through civil litigation violates due process and infringes on the rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment,' said Cassandra Robertson, law professor at Case Western Reserve University, speaking to NPR, a major US media organization. She added that civil cases do not guarantee government-funded legal counsel and require a lower standard of proof. Sameera Hafiz, policy director at the Immigration Legal Resource Center, warned that the shift could create unequal tiers of citizenship. 'It is kind of, in a way, trying to create a second class of US citizens,' she told NPR. Can naturalised citizens lose their US citizenship? Yes—but under specific legal conditions, said Dinesh Jotwani, co-managing partner at Jotwani Associates. 'Naturalised US citizens enjoy nearly all the constitutional and legal rights afforded to birthright citizens, with one crucial exception: the possibility of denaturalisation,' he told Business Standard. He explained that the DOJ is allowed to revoke citizenship obtained through fraud, concealment, or material misrepresentation during the naturalisation process under 8 U.S.C. § 1451. 'Birthright citizens, in contrast, enjoy absolute citizenship which cannot be involuntarily revoked, except in cases of voluntary renunciation,' he said, citing the US Supreme Court's ruling in Afroyim v. Rusk (1967). How serious must the offence be? Not all offences qualify. 'The DOJ's increased focus does not mean that any minor or old offence automatically places a naturalised citizen at risk,' Jotwani said. For denaturalisation to proceed: • The individual must have knowingly lied or withheld a material fact, such as a criminal record or links to terror groups • The falsehood must have affected the decision to grant citizenship • In some cases, even post-naturalisation crimes can trigger denaturalisation if the person was ineligible for citizenship at the time 'Minor offences—such as traffic violations or drink driving—are unlikely to meet the legal threshold, especially without intent to deceive,' he said. Courts generally require clear, egregious fraud to reopen citizenship cases years later. That said, the DOJ may rely on newer tools such as data mining, archived file reviews, and social media scrutiny in fraud-related cases. What protections do naturalised citizens have? While denaturalisation cases are on the rise, the legal process remains rigorous. 'Naturalised citizens retain strong safeguards,' Jotwani said. These include: • The right to judicial review • The requirement for civil or, in rare cases, criminal proceedings • The right to legal counsel and due process under the Constitution He added that the US government must prove denaturalisation cases using 'clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence' because of the serious consequence of rendering a person stateless. 'Those with concerns about past disclosures should consider legal advice,' he said.
GMA Network
08-07-2025
- GMA Network
Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker arrested in Italy at US request, DOJ says
United States Department of Justice logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo) WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Justice said on Tuesday a Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker was arrested last week in Italy at the request of Washington,but the arrested man claimed he is a victim of mistaken identity. Xu Zewei, 33, was arrested on July 3, the Justice Department said, adding a nine-count indictment was unsealed on Tuesday in the Southern District of Texas alleging the involvement of that individual and a co-defendant in computer intrusions between February 2020 and June 2021. Xu was arrested in Milan, Italy, and will face extradition proceedings, the DOJ said in a statement. It alleged China's ministry of state security had directed theft of COVID-19 research and the exploitation of MicrosoftMSFT.O email software vulnerabilities. The Chinese government has denied allegations of being involved. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Xu's lawyer said on Tuesday that he is a victim of mistaken identity, that his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020. The 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company appeared on Tuesday before an appeals court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the United States. The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. U.S. authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who tried to access a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Texas in 2020. The DOJ also says that in 2021, he was part of a cyber-espionage group known as Hafnium, which has alleged ties to the Chinese government and which "exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in U.S. systems to steal additional research." Hafnium targeted over 60,000 U.S. entities, according to the DOJ. The charges listed on the arrest warrant were wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorised access to protected computers.—Reuters
India Today
05-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Video: Bull charges at man, uses horns to slam him to ground in Kota
2:27 The United States Department of Justice has informed Indian authorities that Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi, was arrested by US authorities on July 4th, 2025.
India Today
05-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Court declares UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari fugitive after ED's request
2:27 The United States Department of Justice has informed Indian authorities that Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi, was arrested by US authorities on July 4th, 2025.
