DOJ Moves to Revoke Citizenship From Hundreds of Foreign-born Americans

The US Justice Department is reviewing hundreds of cases in an expanded effort to revoke citizenship from foreign-born Americans, with at least 300 individuals currently under investigation.

Denaturalisation has traditionally been used in limited circumstances, mainly where individuals concealed serious crimes such as human rights abuses or fraud during the naturalisation process. The current approach marks a significant increase in activity. 

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has assigned staff nationwide to identify potential cases and aims to refer between 100 and 200 cases each month to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors across several jurisdictions are now handling these referrals.

A Justice Department spokesperson described the initiative as a priority, saying that officials are focused on identifying individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud or other unlawful means. The spokesperson said the department is handling the highest number of denaturalisation referrals in its history. 

During President Donald Trump’s first term, 102 cases were filed, a figure higher than previous norms. The basis for selecting the current group of 300 individuals has not been fully outlined. 

Officials have indicated that cases may involve national security concerns, war crimes, torture, or significant fraud involving government programmes such as Medicare and Medicaid. The broader expansion of these efforts has raised questions about whether denaturalisation is being applied more widely as part of immigration enforcement.

This initiative is part of a wider strategy that includes increased deployment of immigration officers in US cities and the expansion of detention facilities. Around 800,000 people become naturalised citizens each year, making the number of current cases relatively small in comparison.