The Trump administration is preparing a significant increase in efforts to revoke the U.S. citizenship of naturalized Americans accused of obtaining citizenship through fraud or illegal conduct, according to a Justice Department official cited by CNN on Thursday.
The Department of Justice plans to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by Sept. 30, the end of fiscal year 2026. While that figure represents a small fraction of the estimated 24 million naturalized U.S. citizens, it marks a sharp increase from historical levels.
From 1990 to 2017, the federal government filed an average of just 11 denaturalization cases annually.
Federal law allows the government to seek revocation of citizenship when it was allegedly obtained through concealment of material facts, willful misrepresentation, or other forms of fraud.
Successful denaturalization returns an individual to their previous immigration status, typically lawful permanent resident, and can ultimately lead to deportation.
The administration has broadened the categories of cases prioritized for denaturalization, moving beyond the traditional focus on war criminals, human rights abusers and violent offenders.
In recent weeks, the Justice Department has already filed dozens of cases nationwide.
Earlier this month, the DOJ announced 17 new denaturalization lawsuits involving individuals accused of crimes including child sexual abuse, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, immigration fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking, 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 those who allegedly obtained citizenship through fraud, while DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration would continue using "every lawful avenue" to denaturalize and remove individuals who concealed criminal activity during immigration proceedings.
Among the recent cases are individuals convicted of healthcare fraud schemes involving tens of millions of dollars, child sexual abuse offenses that occurred before naturalization, securities fraud conspiracies, immigration fraud involving multiple identities, and large-scale drug distribution operations.
The Justice Department argues that in each case the defendants either lacked the required "good moral character" for citizenship or concealed material facts during the naturalization process.
Civil denaturalization cases must be proven in federal court, where defendants can challenge the government's allegations.
If the government prevails, citizenship can be revoked and a certificate of naturalization canceled under the Immigration and Nationality Act.