The Case That Shocked the International Community
Hundreds of foreign nationals, mostly of Chinese origin, were left stateless after their Argentine citizenship—legitimately obtained—was annulled. This injustice stemmed from a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by a court employee, whose actions unknowingly involved these immigrants as victims.
In China, obtaining a foreign citizenship results in the automatic loss of Chinese nationality, since dual citizenship is not allowed. Therefore, when their Argentine citizenship was revoked, these immigrants were left without any nationality—literally without a country.
While the employee was sentenced to a three-year suspended prison term and a symbolic fine of 70 pesos, more than 400 individuals were left in legal limbo—with no identity, no rights, and no path forward.
The INA Law Firm Steps In
Confronted with this injustice, the INA Law Firm, led by Dr. Deborah Huczek, took on the case. They publicly denounced the judicial irregularities, uncovered altered procedures, and revealed how the authorities responded by punishing only the weakest link, while the victims suffered the consequences.
Media coverage from national and international outlets followed:
Human Rights and the Pursuit of Justice
Thanks to our advocacy and representation of dozens of victims, human rights organizations got involved, shocked to learn that such a situation could occur in Argentina.
Many of these immigrants had no documents, no legal standing, and no ability to fight for their rights. The INA Law Firm gave them a voice and led a complex legal battle that resulted in a complete restoration of their Argentine citizenship.
A Precise and Committed Legal Strategy
The annulments were based on the ruling in the case “BORNEO SANTILLAN, Olga Liliana on Ideological Falsehood”, issued by the Federal Oral Court No. 1 of Córdoba on March 31, 2015. It was revealed that a court employee at Federal Court No. 1 (then under Judge Bustos Fierro) had falsified citizenship documents and misled the judge into signing approvals without proper procedures.
Yet the legal consequences fell not on the guilty, but on the foreigners who had acted in good faith.
When the first victims came to us, we studied the court’s decision, identified each affected individual, and submitted personalized legal filings to recover their annulled citizenship—proving they had no part in the fraudulent acts.
Reopening Cases and Rebuilding Legal Identity
We succeeded in reopening archived cases, even for clients living in different jurisdictions such as Santiago del Estero, La Plata, and Buenos Aires. We rebuilt entire cases: obtaining testimonies, court orders, public notices, criminal background checks, certified translations, prosecutor reviews, and more. All with one goal: to restore their legal identity.
In some cases, testimony was not usually required—but due to the exceptional nature of these cases, it was ordered. From finding local newspapers for notices to locating witnesses, every detail was handled by our legal team.
Citizenship Restored, Identity Reclaimed
Today, all of our clients have sworn in once again as Argentine citizens. Some already have their new IDs; others are in the final stages of processing. The challenge was monumental: reopening cases in the same court is rare, but it was crucial to centralize efforts and pursue justice effectively.
Defending Rights, Inspiring Trust
This case is a clear example of how a dedicated legal team can achieve justice in the face of overwhelming adversity. People who had lost everything—even their nationality—now have their identity and rights fully restored.
“Argentine Residency with Expert Backing”
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Dr. Deborah Huczek & Team
Writing: Dr. Marcelo Madeo
