Story perspectives

DOJ Shifts 384 Denaturalization Cases to 39 Offices

4/24/2026

Summary

DOJ Shifts Denaturalizations

DOJ will move denaturalization cases for 384 Americans to 39 Attorney offices, top DHS referral volume, said spokesman Matthew Tragesser.
Prosecutors hope the transfer, under federal law allowing revocation of fraudulently obtained citizenship, will speed a process that recorded 305 denaturalizations from 1990-2017 and 120 from 2017 to last year.
DOJ, removing criminal aliens who defraud naturalization, noted White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson warned citizenship fraud is a crime.

Summary

Trump Reviews Denaturalizations

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration plans to review roughly 700,000 denaturalization files.
Legal scholars warn the broad criteria could silence political opposition.
Immigrants facing denaturalization lack a guaranteed right to counsel because immigration cases are civil.
Experts caution the initiative may divert DOJ resources from healthcare fraud investigations.
A late-1960s Supreme Court ruling limited denaturalization to fraud or willful misrepresentation.

History

Historical Context

In 1967, the Supreme Court ruled that denaturalization could only occur due to fraud or willful misrepresentation, limiting government power to revoke citizenship. From 1990 to 2017, there were 305 denaturalizations, but a recent DOJ initiative involving 384 Americans signals a renewed focus on citizenship fraud, raising concerns about civil rights and legal representation for immigrants in these cases.

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DOJ Shifts Denaturalizations

DOJ will move denaturalization cases for 384 Americans to 39 Attorney offices, top DHS referral volume, said spokesman Matthew Tragesser.
Prosecutors hope the transfer, under federal law allowing revocation of fraudulently obtained citizenship, will speed a process that recorded 305 denaturalizations from 1990-2017 and 120 from 2017 to last year.
DOJ, removing criminal aliens who defraud naturalization, noted White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson warned citizenship fraud is a crime.

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