DOJ Announces Denaturalization of Child Sex Offender

Revocation of naturalization can occur only in federal courts through a civil proceeding or as a result of a criminal conviction.

Immigrants await their turn for green card and citizenship interviews at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Queens office in the Long Island City neighborhood of New York, on May 30, 2013. John Moore/Getty Images

The Southern District of Texas court, McAllen Division, issued an order on Jan. 22 revoking the citizenship of a naturalized individual who was convicted of a child sex offence, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement on Jan. 26.

Before getting naturalized in 2010, Carlos Noe Gallegos had “sexually assaulted a child younger than 14 years. Years after he naturalized, Mr. Gallegos pleaded guilty to the sexual assault, and the court issued an order of community supervision,” DOJ said.