Story perspectives

DOJ files 16-month denaturalization surge, stoking speech fears

6/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

Justice Department filed more denaturalization cases in the past 16 months than the entire Biden administration filed in four years.
Law professor Daniel Kanstroom said the publicly announced cases include 11 citizenship revocations.
The cases target alleged fraud, child sexual abuse, terrorism, war crimes, and drug trafficking.
Scholars warn the expanding program could suppress political speech, citing threats to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Ilhan Omar.

History

Historical Context

In the early 20th century the U.S. denaturalized left-wing immigrants such as anarchist Emma Goldman (deported in 1920). The 1954 Expatriation Act broadened grounds, leading to a nationwide campaign, and the 1967 Supreme Court ruling Afroyim v. Rusk limited that power. In 2019 the Department of Homeland Security’s ATLAS system flagged about 124,000 naturalized citizens for review, echoing the Cold-War drive.

1 of 2

Story summary

Justice Department filed more denaturalization cases in the past 16 months than the entire Biden administration filed in four years.
Law professor Daniel Kanstroom said the publicly announced cases include 11 citizenship revocations.
The cases target alleged fraud, child sexual abuse, terrorism, war crimes, and drug trafficking.
Scholars warn the expanding program could suppress political speech, citing threats to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Ilhan Omar.

1 / 2