Story perspectives

Justice Dept. Moves to Strip 384 Foreign-Born Citizens

4/24/2026

Summary

Justice Department Revokes Citizenship

The Justice Department will seek to revoke the citizenship of 384 foreign-born Americans, assigning 39 regional U.S. attorney offices to file denaturalization cases.
The effort, designed to accelerate denaturalizations and set a historic referral volume, follows a U.S. President Donald Trump-era directive that told DHS to refer over 200 cases monthly.
Justice Department spokesman Matthew Tragesser said the agency is laser focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding naturalization.

Summary

Judge Sets Standard

A federal judge must receive “clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence” before ordering civil denaturalization under the revocation process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) says this evidentiary standard is the highest burden in federal court.
Civil divisions, which normally prosecute civil-rights and health-care fraud, now handle denaturalization filings, stretching thin staffing.
Francey Hakes warned the added caseload could burden civil litigators in 39 regional offices.

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Justice Department Revokes Citizenship

The Justice Department will seek to revoke the citizenship of 384 foreign-born Americans, assigning 39 regional U.S. attorney offices to file denaturalization cases.
The effort, designed to accelerate denaturalizations and set a historic referral volume, follows a U.S. President Donald Trump-era directive that told DHS to refer over 200 cases monthly.
Justice Department spokesman Matthew Tragesser said the agency is laser focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding naturalization.

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