Trump Administration Accelerates Denaturalization Drive

The Justice Department aims to file at least 250 denaturalization lawsuits by October 2026. In first two months, 29 civil complaints were filed against naturalized citizens accused of fraud, sexual abuse of a minor, or terrorism support. Cases are being sent to U.S. attorney offices nationwide.

CNN

Denaturalization—revoking citizenship of naturalized persons—has been rare, limited to war crimes, terrorism, or false statements. The Biden administration filed 24 cases in four years. Since 2008, 166 cases have been filed (average <10 per year). The target of >=250 cases would be a ten-fold increase. 24 million people are naturalized citizens, with 8 million added in the past decade.

CNN

The DOJ calls denaturalization a “lawful tool” to protect citizenship integrity, focusing on applicants who lied about criminal history or were otherwise ineligible. A June 2025 memo from Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate lists priority categories—fraud, trafficking, and other misconduct—while noting the list does not limit its discretion. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reiterated a “zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process.”

CNN

Legal scholars and advocacy groups warn the expanded priorities could capture minor infractions, strain resources, and raise the burden of “clear and convincing evidence” in federal court, eroding due-process protections for citizens.

Daily Beast

Florida filings include Jean Claude Alfred (sexual abuse before naturalization), Fernando Bartolini (passport fraud), and Leidys Garcia (a $37 million health-care fraud scheme). These cases illustrate the DOJ’s focus on undisclosed criminal conduct.

Tallahasee Democrat

CNN cites a goal of “at least 250” cases, CBS mentions “more than 250,” and The Daily Beast reports 385 targeted individuals. TRAC records 166 filings through June 2026, showing a gap between internal targets and filed complaints. Public access to civil immigration filings remains limited.

Trump Administration Steps Up Efforts to Revoke Citizenship; TRAC Reports Sharp Surge in May and June

• “This is a lawful tool that Congress has had on the books for decades,” — Senior Justice Department official

CNN

• “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,” — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche

CNN

• “They may be able to expedite the process for initiating these cases, but regardless of the steps they take before cases are filed, the litigation process itself is still going to be a huge impediment to their goal of denaturalizing people in huge numbers,” — Stacey Young, Justice Connection

CNN

• “Denaturalization, once a rare occurrence in federal courts, is now becoming increasingly common,” — Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC)

Trump Administration Steps Up Efforts to Revoke Citizenship; TRAC Reports Sharp Surge in May and June

The Supreme Court will soon rule on the administration’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, a decision that could intersect with denaturalization policy. TRAC will continue updating its database, and challenges are expected as DOJ expands enforcement. Congressional oversight may rise if filings near the 250-plus target.

Trump Administration Steps Up Efforts to Revoke Citizenship; TRAC Reports Sharp Surge in May and June