U.S. plans expansion of denaturalization push, aiming for 250 cases by fall

The Trump administration is significantly expanding its efforts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Americans, with the Justice Department aiming to file at least 250 denaturalization cases by the end of the fiscal year in October. This represents an unprecedented use of federal denaturalization powers, a legal process rarely employed by previous administrations.

Federal law allows the Justice Department to seek the stripping of citizenship from individuals who obtained it illegally or through fraud, such as by lying on immigration applications. Historically, this process has been reserved for severe cases, including human rights abusers and violent criminals. However, the Trump administration has broadened the scope of cases prioritized for denaturalization.

Between 1990 and 2017, the U.S. government filed an average of just 11 denaturalization cases per year. The current push, first reported by CNN, signifies a dramatic increase, although the 250 cases represent a small fraction of the estimated 24 million naturalized citizens in the U.S.

Individuals targeted in these cases can contest the allegations. However, if the government prevails, they risk losing all benefits of U.S. citizenship, reverting to their previous immigration status, and facing deportation to their countries of origin. The Justice Department has already initiated several dozen such cases in recent weeks as part of a broader effort to tighten legal immigration processes.