U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced that Youngshin Nam, also known as Yejin Nam, a 41-year-old South Korean citizen, has pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., and Nam was sentenced to time served before being handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson explained that on April 3, 2024, Nam attempted to enter the United States by plane at an airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was denied entry and returned to South Korea with a notice that she was ineligible for the Visa Waiver Program for five years. In July 2024, she was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas and subsequently removed from the country in September.
On May 4, 2025, Nam attempted to enter the United States again at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, NY. She presented a South Korean passport under the name Yejin Nam but was referred for secondary inspection after initially refusing routine electronic fingerprinting before eventually complying. Her fingerprints revealed her true identity as Youngshin Nam, which had been recorded following her arrest in Texas.
Further investigation showed that Nam submitted a falsified application for the Visa Waiver Program, where she incorrectly stated “NO” regarding any use of other names or aliases and denied having been previously refused entry into the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
The investigation leading to this plea and sentencing was conducted by Customs and Border Protection under Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy’s leadership.
