U.S. Department of Justice Launches Sweeping Citizenship Revocation Campaign
At least 384 cases identified in an initial wave, with the government aiming to significantly increase the rate of monthly referrals.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has begun a large-scale effort to revoke the citizenship of naturalized U.S. citizens, citing allegations of fraud or illegal procurement of citizenship. Reports indicate that the government is pursuing the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history.
Scale and Targets of the Campaign
According to reports, the DOJ has identified 384 foreign-born individuals as the first wave of targets for denaturalization lawsuits. These cases are being assigned to prosecutors in 39 U.S. attorney's offices. One source reported that at least 300 individuals are under investigation, while another stated that the initial wave is focused on roughly a dozen individuals whose cases have been filed in court.
The administration has directed Department of Homeland Security staff to refer over 200 denaturalization cases per month to the DOJ. This represents a substantial increase from historical averages; reports state that between 1990 and 2017, the average was approximately 11 cases per year. During former President Trump's first term, 102 such cases were filed.
Categories of Targeted Individuals
The DOJ has listed several categories of individuals targeted for these actions:
- Individuals who pose national security risks
- Individuals convicted of war crimes
- Individuals who committed fraud, such as Medicaid fraud, immigration fraud, or used false identities
- Individuals involved in sham marriages to obtain immigration benefits
Specific Examples of Cases Filed
Individuals from Bolivia, China, Colombia, Gambia, India, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia, and Uzbekistan have been named. Allegations include criminal convictions, immigration fraud, and ties to terrorism or war crimes. Among those named are:
- A Colombian-born priest convicted of sexual assault
- A Moroccan-born man with alleged ties to al Qaeda
- A Somali immigrant who pleaded guilty to supporting al Shabaab
- A former Gambian police officer allegedly involved in war crimes
- Former diplomat Manuel Rocha, who admitted to being a Cuban spy
Legal Procedures and Context
Denaturalization is a civil lawsuit to revoke U.S. citizenship. If successful, the individual reverts to their previous legal status—typically that of a lawful permanent resident—and may become subject to deportation.
To strip an individual of citizenship, the government must prove that citizenship was "illegally procured" or that the individual lied or concealed facts during the naturalization process. The burden of proof in these civil cases is "clear and convincing evidence," which is lower than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard used in criminal cases. In such lawsuits, defendants do not have the right to a free lawyer or a jury trial, and there is no statute of limitations.
Historically, denaturalization was rare for much of U.S. history but increased significantly during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s, when over 22,000 Americans lost citizenship. The 1967 Supreme Court case Afroyim v. Rusk ruled that the government cannot revoke citizenship without a person's consent, except in cases of fraud during the citizenship process. Following this ruling, denaturalization became rare.
Policy and Staffing
A DOJ memo from June 2025 outlines a maximal enforcement approach, authorizing staff to pursue any case where evidence might support denaturalization, regardless of priority or the strength of evidence. The memo lists ten priority categories, including national security threats, war crimes, fraud, and financial crimes.
To handle the increased caseload, the cases are being distributed to 39 regional U.S. attorney's offices. This comes at a time when the DOJ has reportedly lost nearly 1,000 assistant U.S. attorneys due to resignations and firings.
Administration Stance
"We are focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding the naturalization process," a DOJ spokesperson stated, adding that the department is "pursuing the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history."
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the administration believes "a lot of individuals are citizens who shouldn't be," but added that only a small percentage of naturalized citizens should be concerned. He said that those who did not illegally obtain citizenship have nothing to worry about and that the actions are intended to disincentivize fraud.
Potential Judicial Challenges
The campaign may face legal opposition. Reports indicate that federal courts have previously ruled against the administration's broader detention policies, with immigrants prevailing in 350 out of 362 related cases. Because denaturalization cases raise constitutional concerns, they may face similar judicial opposition.