The Justice Department said Monday that it will seek to revoke the citizenship of 17 people across the country, expanding an unusual denaturalization effort under the Trump administration. The move adds to a broader campaign aimed at naturalized U.S. citizens whom officials accuse of obtaining citizenship through fraud.
The latest action shows how aggressively the administration has pursued denaturalization since President Donald Trump returned to office. Officials say the targeted people are accused of offenses including fraud and sexual abuse of a minor.
What denaturalization means
Denaturalization is the process of taking citizenship away from a naturalized U.S. citizen, and it can only happen in federal court. The step remains rare, even though the United States has historically used it in limited cases involving false statements or other misconduct tied to the citizenship process.
Past cases have included people accused of lying about details such as arrival date, age, or marital status. During World War II, the government also reviewed naturalization cases involving German Americans who were pro-Nazi.
A sharp increase in cases
The Justice Department’s latest move stands out because of its pace. A DOJ official said the Biden administration filed 24 denaturalization cases, while the Trump administration has already surpassed that level within the last year.
In May, the administration also moved to denaturalize 12 people, showing that this effort has become a repeated part of the Justice Department’s approach. The latest announcement pushes that campaign further and signals that officials plan to keep using civil court action against naturalized citizens.
Administration defends the campaign
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement, “Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process.” His remarks framed the effort as a response to alleged misuse of the naturalization system.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also said the administration “will continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens.” The comments reflect a broader enforcement posture that links citizenship review with immigration crackdowns.
The cases now moving forward will be handled in federal court, where the government must prove its claims before citizenship can be stripped. For the 17 people named in the latest push, the legal process now enters a rare and closely watched stage.
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