The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has identified 384 naturalized Americans whose citizenship it aims to revoke, signaling a major escalation in denaturalization efforts under the Trump administration.
According to officials familiar with the plan, prosecutors in 39 regional U.S. attorney’s offices will be assigned to handle the cases, marking a shift from the traditional approach where specialized immigration litigators managed such proceedings. The initiative is intended to accelerate denaturalization cases nationwide, though authorities have not disclosed the specific reasons for targeting the individuals.
Under U.S. law, citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, such as sham marriages or failure to disclose disqualifying information. In some instances, serious criminal activity may also lead to denaturalization. However, the process requires the government to present strong evidence in federal court, making it both complex and time-intensive.
DOJ spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said the department is pursuing “the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history,” many originating from the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has reportedly been referring more than 200 cases per month to the DOJ.
“This is about holding accountable those who defraud the naturalization process,” Tragesser said, emphasizing the department’s focus on tackling citizenship fraud.
At the White House, spokeswoman Abigail Jackson echoed that stance, stating that individuals who obtained citizenship through “fraud and deceit will be held accountable.”
The push aligns with broader immigration enforcement policies under President Donald Trump, whose administration has prioritized stricter immigration controls. Officials have described the 384 cases as the “first wave,” suggesting additional actions may follow.
Legal experts, however, have raised concerns about the implications. Amanda Frost warned that the effort could create uncertainty among naturalized citizens, potentially undermining their sense of security. She noted that historically, denaturalization has been used sparingly and sometimes controversially.
Data shows that between 1990 and 2017, the government filed just 305 denaturalization cases—an average of about 11 per year. Even from 2017 through late 2025, only slightly more than 120 cases were pursued, highlighting the scale of the current expansion.
Naturalization in the United States involves extensive screening, including biometric checks, background investigations, and civics and language tests. In 2024 alone, more than 818,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens.
Despite this rigorous process, past reviews have uncovered cases of fraud. A 2017 report by the Department of Homeland Security found that over 800 individuals obtained citizenship despite prior deportations under different identities.
Critics argue that expanding denaturalization could divert legal resources from other priorities, such as civil rights enforcement and fraud investigations. Lucas Guttentag cautioned that a broad campaign risks undermining long-standing legal principles if not applied carefully.
The DOJ’s move marks one of the most aggressive efforts in recent history to revisit granted citizenship, raising both legal and political questions about the future of immigration policy in the United States.