U.S. Citizen Sentenced for Selling Birth Certificate to Mexican National

ALBUQUERQUE - A U.S. citizen living in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for allowing a Mexican national to use his birth certificate to falsely claim U.S. citizenship at a Border Patrol checkpoint in exchange for money.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on December 1, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Alamogordo checkpoint encountered a Mexican national who falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen and presented a legitimate U.S. birth certificate belonging to David Ramirez, a U.S. citizen residing in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. During questioning, the passenger admitted he was a Mexican citizen unlawfully present in the United States and had obtained Ramirez's birth certificate through an intermediary. On February 14, 2026, Border Patrol agents encountered Ramirez, 31, at the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas. Ramirez admitted that he had allowed the Mexican national to use his birth certificate to falsely claim U.S. citizenship at the checkpoint in exchange for money.

Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Upon his release from prison, Ramirez will be subject to three years of supervised release.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Muñoz of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.

The U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Crews prosecuted the case.