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The Trump administration is preparing a major expansion of efforts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Americans accused of obtaining it through fraud or other unlawful conduct, according to a Justice Department official cited by CNN.
The Department of Justice plans to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by Sept. 30, the end of fiscal year 2026. While the number represents a small share of the roughly 24 million naturalized U.S. citizens, it marks a dramatic increase from historical norms. Between 1990 and 2017, the federal government averaged just 11 denaturalization cases per year.
Federal law permits the government to seek revocation of citizenship if it was obtained through concealment of material facts, willful misrepresentation, or other forms of fraud. Individuals who are successfully denaturalized generally revert to their prior immigration status and may ultimately face deportation proceedings.
The administration has expanded its focus beyond traditional denaturalization targets such as war criminals, human rights violators, and violent offenders. In recent weeks, the Justice Department has filed dozens of cases involving a broader range of alleged criminal conduct.
Earlier this month, the DOJ announced 17 new denaturalization lawsuits against individuals accused of offenses including child sexual abuse, health care fraud, securities fraud, immigration fraud, and visa fraud. Prosecutors allege the defendants concealed criminal conduct, used false identities, or made false statements during the naturalization process.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department has adopted a “zero-tolerance policy” toward individuals who allegedly secured citizenship through fraud. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration intends to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove individuals who concealed criminal activity during immigration proceedings.
According to the Justice Department, recent cases include defendants convicted of multimillion-dollar health care fraud schemes, child sexual abuse offenses that predated naturalization, securities fraud conspiracies, immigration fraud involving multiple identities, and large-scale drug trafficking operations.
Federal officials argue that the defendants either lacked the “good moral character” required for citizenship or withheld information that would have affected their eligibility for naturalization.
