"False Heaven": The operation that revoked citizenship from a Cuban

U.S. authorities warned about the consequences of the "False Haven" operation —translated by some as “false heaven”—, a joint offensive by ICE and the Department of Justice to revoke citizenship acquired through fraud and expel those who concealed serious crimes, particularly sexual abuse against minors, during their naturalization process.

The warning gains importance following the case of the Cuban Orlando Chávez, 43 years old, naturalized and subsequently convicted of fraud in the naturalization process and for using a citizenship certificate obtained fraudulently.

According to the file, Chávez lied under oath in his application (July 14, 2017) and during the USCIS interview (April 19, 2018) by denying having engaged in coercive sexual conduct or uncharged crimes.

He then took an oath (April 30, 2018) and used the certificate to apply for a passport (May 19, 2018).

Later, in October 2019, he was convicted of two counts of child abuse (incidents from 2014), receiving a sentence of 14 months in prison and five years of probation.

A federal jury and using a fraudulent certificate following an investigation by ERO Miami under "False Haven."

What is "False Haven" and how does it work?

According to the official information, "False Haven" (launched in 2019 by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force in Raleigh, NC) cross-references state sex offender registries and other data to identify naturalizations with false statements or omissions.

This promotes criminal and civil actions to denaturalize and remove the convicted from the country.

The initiative has resulted in cases against authors of serial violations, child sexual abuse, incest, sodomy, child pornography, kidnapping, trafficking, murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, tax and medical fraud, embezzlement, aggravated identity theft, and elder abuse.

Risks for naturalized individuals

According to the case and the operation, naturalized individuals may be subject to a range of consequences that include everything from federal prison to deportation.

• Automatic denaturalization: a conviction for naturalization fraud results in the revocation of citizenship.
• Federal prison: in Chávez's case, the prosecution indicated that the maximum penalty reaches 10 years; the sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2025.
• Removal (deportation): upon losing citizenship, the individual becomes subject to expulsion procedures conducted by ERO.
• Nullity of documents: the naturalization certificate and any document obtained with it (e.g., passport) lose validity.
• Retroactive investigations: the operation reviews cases where the crimes occurred prior to naturalization but were not disclosed.

The case that raised the alarm

The ERO Miami office emphasized that obtaining citizenship through deceptive statements “diminishes the sanctity of the process” and that False Haven pursues and prosecutes those who have concealed heinous crimes, in order to protect communities and ensure accountability.

In the two-day trial against Chávez, the jury assessed the N-400 application, the sworn interview, the naturalization ceremony, and the subsequent state conviction as part of the pattern of fraud.

The case was led by DHS Deputy Director Melissa Roca Shaw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yisel Valdés.

The authorities' warning comes at a time when "False Haven" is under ongoing investigations and has generated multiple cases across the country.

On an individual level, Chávez's case illustrates the scope of the operation: if the government proves that there was a lie or material omission during the naturalization process, citizenship is revoked and removal is permitted.

Frequently Asked Questions about Operation "False Haven" and Its Implications