The Trump administration announced on June 8, 2026, that it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud. This action marks the largest effort by the U.S. government to utilize its denaturalization powers, which have been infrequently used in the past. The Justice Department stated that between 1990 and 2017, an average of 11 legal complaints per year were filed for denaturalization.
Federal law permits the government to denaturalize foreign-born U.S. citizens who allegedly committed fraud to obtain their citizenship, such as by concealing criminal conduct on their immigration applications. The denaturalization process is complex and requires judicial approval.
The latest campaign includes individuals convicted of serious crimes, including sexual offenses against children and fraud. Justice Department officials filed complaints arguing that these individuals concealed their criminal activity or lacked the required 'good moral character' for naturalization.
Among those targeted are a Haitian immigrant accused of sexually abusing his daughter, a man from the former Yugoslavia convicted of child sexual abuse, and a Filipino-born man who pleaded guilty to a child sex crime. Other individuals are accused of immigration fraud or using false identities.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized a 'zero tolerance' policy for abuse of the naturalization process, while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that American citizenship must be earned honestly. The denaturalization process allows targeted citizens to contest the government's actions, and if successful, they would revert to their previous immigration status.
