U.S. DOJ Initiates Denaturalization Proceedings Against 17 Naturalized Citizens
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday that it is initiating denaturalization proceedings against 17 naturalized citizens accused of obtaining citizenship through fraud. The actions are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to increase the number of denaturalization cases filed annually.
Background
Denaturalization is a legal process that can only occur in federal court. It involves revoking U.S. citizenship from individuals who obtained it through naturalization. Federal law permits the government to seek denaturalization if citizenship was obtained illegally or through fraud, such as concealing criminal conduct on applications.
The process requires judicial approval. In civil denaturalization cases, defendants have no right to a free lawyer, no right to a jury trial, and the government must meet a burden of proof of "clear and convincing evidence." There is no statute of limitations for such cases.
Denaturalization has been rare for most of U.S. history. Between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed an average of 11 denaturalization complaints per year. Under the Biden administration, the department filed 24 cases over four years. Sources report that the Trump administration has surpassed that number within the past year.
Details of the Current Cases
The 17 individuals targeted in Monday's announcement are naturalized citizens from multiple countries, including Cuba, Haiti, Somalia, China, India, Bolivia, Colombia, Gambia, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan.
According to officials, the allegations against the individuals include:
- Criminal convictions for violent crimes, sex offenses, and fraud
- Sexual abuse of a minor
- Child pornography offenses
- Healthcare fraud
- Wire fraud
- Conspiracy to manipulate stock prices
- Money laundering
- Immigration fraud (including fraudulent H-1B visa petitions and use of false identities)
- Ties to terrorism or war crimes
Specific examples provided by officials include:
- A Haitian immigrant accused of sexual abuse of a daughter
- A man from the former Yugoslavia convicted of child sexual abuse
- A Mexican immigrant convicted of receiving child pornography
- A former Colombian Catholic priest accused of child sex abuse
- A Filipino-born man who pleaded guilty to a child sex crime
- An Indian immigrant accused of filing fraudulent H-1B visa petitions
- The daughter of a Colombian drug trafficker accused of money laundering
- A Jamaican-born man convicted of wire fraud
- A Cuban-born woman accused of defrauding a tribal casino
- 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
Official Statements
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Justice Department maintains a "zero-tolerance" policy for abuse of the naturalization process. He said the department is "focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding the naturalization process."
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the administration will "continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens."
Broader Policy Context
The announcement is part of a larger initiative by the Trump administration to increase denaturalization enforcement. A June 2025 memo from Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate listed priority categories for denaturalization, including national security threats, war crimes, fraud, and undisclosed felonies.
Sources report that the Justice Department is investigating hundreds of naturalized citizens for possible revocation of citizenship. The administration has directed Department of Homeland Security staff to refer over 200 denaturalization cases per month to the Justice Department. The Justice Department has stated it plans to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by October 2026.
To manage the increased caseload, civil litigators from other divisions have been reassigned, and cases are being distributed to U.S. Attorney offices in 39 regional offices.
Process and Consequences
Denaturalization proceedings allow targeted individuals to challenge the government's claims in federal court. If citizenship is revoked, the individual reverts to their prior immigration status, often that of a lawful permanent resident. This may make them eligible for deportation.
Naturalized citizens retain stronger legal protections than non-citizens facing deportation, including due process rights in federal court. Some legal experts have expressed concerns that the expanded level of enforcement could raise constitutional issues or lead to judicial opposition.
Additional Context
The Trump administration has also taken other actions related to citizenship and immigration enforcement, including:
- An executive order seeking to revoke birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented parents, which the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on
- A federal judge in Massachusetts struck down a $100,000 fee imposed by the administration on H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, ruling the fee was a tax requiring congressional authorization
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, approximately 800,000 people become naturalized citizens annually.