The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on June 8, 2026, that it is pursuing the revocation of citizenship for 17 individuals who allegedly obtained naturalization through fraudulent means. The individuals, hailing from 13 different countries, are accused of serious criminal activities, including child sexual abuse, narcotics trafficking, and large-scale financial fraud.
According to the DOJ, most of these individuals allegedly lied during the naturalization process, claiming they had not committed any crimes that were unknown to authorities. Officials argue that these false statements indicate a failure to meet the "good moral character" requirement for U.S. citizenship as mandated by federal law.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, "Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process."
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin added, "American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here, break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege."
The accused individuals range in age from 39 to 69 and include six individuals connected to child sexual abuse cases. This group includes a Roman Catholic priest accused of abusing a child.
The fraud cases also involve significant financial schemes, with one case allegedly involving $54 million in securities and wire fraud and another involving $36.7 million in fraudulent claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield through fake physical therapy clinics. Some individuals reportedly fabricated their identities to bypass the immigration system, with four accused of using false names or misrepresenting their marital status.
One woman was identified after the government digitized old fingerprint records, linking her to a prior rejected application from 1995.
