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The Justice Department has stepped up efforts this week to revoke citizenship from individuals accused of obtaining it through deception, securing two court-ordered denaturalizations and launching a third case involving alleged marriage fraud.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the moves are part of a broader initiative aimed at individuals who concealed criminal activity during the naturalization process, according to a report Thursday.

“American citizenship is a sacred privilege, not a cheap status that can be obtained dishonestly,” Bondi said.

On March 23, a federal judge stripped citizenship from Vladimir Volgaev, a Ukrainian national previously convicted of illegally exporting firearm components and committing housing fraud.

Prosecutors said Volgaev orchestrated a long-running operation beginning in 2011 in which he sold gun parts to overseas buyers while simultaneously exploiting federal housing assistance programs.

Although he became a U.S. citizen in 2016, authorities said he failed to disclose his criminal conduct, leading the court to determine he did not meet the requirement of demonstrating “good moral character” for naturalization.

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said the decision reflects the department’s stance on such cases.

“The United States provided Volgaev with safety, housing, and citizenship, and he returned those gains with malice, including by defrauding one of the federal agencies that provided him benefits,” Shumate said.

“We will not reward this kind of behavior by allowing such an individual to retain U.S. citizenship that should not have been granted in the first place.”

The following day, a separate federal judge revoked the citizenship of Mirelys Cabrera Diaz, a Cuban national convicted in 2019 for her role in a $6 million Medicare fraud operation.

Court records indicate that Cabrera Diaz admitted she took part in submitting fraudulent prescription claims prior to becoming a U.S. citizen in 2017, including paying illegal kickbacks to recruit patients. The court concluded that this conduct disqualified her from meeting the legal standards for naturalization.

The department has also filed a civil case against Alec Nasreddine Kassir, a Lebanese national accused of securing citizenship through a sham marriage.

According to prosecutors, Kassir falsely claimed to be living with a U.S. citizen spouse during the required timeframe and later acknowledged committing passport fraud related to his naturalization.

The latest actions come amid a broader rise in denaturalization efforts over recent decades.

From 1990 through 2017, the Justice Department brought 305 such cases, averaging about 11 annually.

That number increased significantly during President Donald Trump’s first term, when 168 cases were filed—an average of about 42 per year—compared to 64 cases, or roughly 16 annually, during former President Joe Biden’s administration, according to a July Washington Post report.

Preliminary data from Trump’s second term suggests the department has already achieved roughly the same number of denaturalizations as occurred during the entire four years of the Biden administration, a Justice Department spokesperson said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is reviewing an expansive proposal to redesign Penn Station, a plan that would include moving Madison Square Garden and rebuilding the transit hub in a grand, classical style, according to a report published Thursday.

The proposal reflects a broader effort by the administration to promote traditional architectural design in major federally backed projects, aligning with its emphasis on classical aesthetics.

Sources familiar with a previously unreported Oval Office discussion said representatives connected to the Grand Penn Community Alliance presented Trump with a vision to relocate the arena and reconstruct Penn Station in a style inspired by its original structure, which was torn down in the 1960s.

The plan carries an estimated cost of $7.5 billion and calls for sweeping design elements such as Greco-Roman columns, a large glass ceiling, and expansive public areas, while shifting the 19,000-seat arena across Seventh Avenue.

This concept is one of three leading proposals currently under review by Amtrak. The rail operator, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, assumed control of the redevelopment effort from New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority under the Trump administration.

A lead developer is expected to be chosen in May, with the project anticipated to receive significant federal funding.

Although Trump has not formally endorsed the proposal, those familiar with his thinking say he views it as a serious option and potentially a defining project of his presidency.

“As a New York native, President Trump is personally invested in revitalizing New York Penn Station,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.

Any effort to move Madison Square Garden would depend on approval from its owner, James Dolan, who has consistently opposed relocation.

The Penn Station project has become a central example of the administration’s architectural priorities.

Earlier, Trump signed an executive order requiring that new federal buildings reflect “classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome,” and current project guidelines now incorporate that directive.

Supporters of the Grand Penn proposal say it would restore the grandeur lost when the original station was demolished decades ago.

Opponents, however, argue that the process lacks openness and raise concerns that political considerations could influence the outcome.

“We don’t know how it’s going to be financed. President Trump is involved and maybe he’ll select the winning bidder. On what criteria? We don’t know,” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., wrote in a letter to former NYC Transit President Andy Byford.

“What are the criteria for selecting the winning proposals? How much money you gave to the Trump campaign?” Nadler questioned.

Despite the scope of the plan, significant obstacles remain.

Relocating Madison Square Garden would require coordination among developers, multiple levels of government, federal agencies, and property stakeholders, and could involve public funding. The arena’s structural connection to Penn Station adds further complications.

Officials say the redevelopment is likely to follow a public-private partnership model similar to the renovation of LaGuardia Airport, though key aspects—such as financing and how proposals will be evaluated—have not yet been finalized.

With several competing plans still under consideration, many of which would keep Madison Square Garden in its current location, the final decision will likely depend on practicality, cost, and political considerations.

For now, the effort to remake Penn Station sits at the crossroads of infrastructure planning, real estate interests, and architectural philosophy, as the administration’s push for classical design meets the complexities of modern urban redevelopment.

{Matzav.com}

Israel temporarily removed two senior Iranian leaders from its list of potential targets following a request conveyed through Pakistan, according to a source familiar with the matter, as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes to explore a possible end to the conflict.

The officials—Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf—were reportedly spared after Islamabad urged Washington to prevent their elimination, arguing that doing so would undermine any chance for negotiations.

“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out, we told the U.S. if they are also eliminated then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off,” the source said.

Pakistan’s military and foreign ministry did not immediately issue a response to requests for comment.

Earlier reporting by The Wall Street Journal indicated that the two Iranian figures had been removed from Israel’s target list for several days while potential diplomatic channels were being considered. The report, citing U.S. officials, did not reference any involvement by Pakistan.

Pakistan, along with Egypt and Turkey, has taken on a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in an effort to bring the war to an end.

Islamabad has remained in communication with both sides at a time when most other diplomatic avenues have broken down, and it is also being viewed as a possible location for future negotiations if talks move forward.

At the same time, Iran is examining a 15-point proposal from President Donald Trump, which was delivered through Pakistan and is aimed at ending the conflict. According to Israeli cabinet sources familiar with the plan, it includes provisions to eliminate Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, stop further enrichment, limit its ballistic missile development, and cut support to allied groups in the region.

Trump has said that Iran is eager to reach an agreement, while Araqchi has indicated that Tehran is reviewing the proposal but is not prepared to enter negotiations to bring the fighting to a close.

{Matzav.com}