The Trump administration has committed to a hard-line immigration policy, now pursuing what officials describe as the "largest denaturalization effort ever." Denaturalization, the process of revoking U.S. citizenship from naturalized immigrants, has historically been rare due to its high costs and complexity.

This week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it identified 25 naturalized immigrants whose citizenship it intends to revoke. Reasons for denaturalization include misrepresentation during the citizenship process and committing certain crimes before naturalization.

"Today's filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalization effort in Department history, but they are only the beginning," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement on Monday. He added, "The Justice Department will continue to use every tool available to protect the integrity of the naturalization process and the safety of the American people."

This announcement follows a July declaration by the administration to revoke citizenship from 10 naturalized criminals, including child molesters, scammers, and drug dealers. These cases align with actions taken by previous administrations.

Since the start of Trump's second administration, 123 denaturalization cases have been filed in just over a year and a half. Additionally, in April 2026, the DOJ revealed it had 384 individuals under consideration for denaturalization and has set quotas for referrals from the Department of Homeland Security.

The targeted cases involve offenses such as health-care fraud, procurement fraud, enforcement of civil rights laws, and asset forfeiture violations.

Sources