WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration announced plans to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalized U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud. The Justice Department stated these new cases represent the largest denaturalization effort by the U.S. government.
Federal court complaints for these cases were filed across the country in recent days. The department argued that the 17 individuals concealed criminal activity during their naturalization applications or lacked good moral character. Federal law allows the government to seek denaturalization for foreign-born U.S. citizens who obtained citizenship through fraud, such as by concealing criminal conduct on immigration applications.
Among the targeted individuals are immigrants from Haiti, the former Yugoslavia, Mexico, Colombia, and the Philippines. These individuals are accused of or have been convicted of crimes including child sex abuse or possession of sexually explicit images of minors. Others targeted are immigrants from India, Jamaica, and Cuba, along with the daughter of a Colombian drug trafficker; they are accused of or convicted of visa fraud, money laundering, wire fraud, defrauding a tribal casino, or using false identities.
Denaturalization proceedings require government officials to obtain a federal court order to strip naturalized citizens of their citizenship. Todd Blanche, Acting Attorney General, said, "Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters."
Between 1990 and 2017, the department filed an average of 11 legal complaints annually seeking to denaturalize U.S. citizens. In 2025, the department broadened the categories of naturalized citizens prioritized for denaturalization. Last month, government officials announced 12 denaturalization cases.
Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security Secretary, stated, "American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here, break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege." Denaturalized individuals revert to their prior immigration status, typically permanent residency, and lose legal benefits including protection from deportation. The denaturalization process grants targeted citizens the right to legally challenge government filings to retain their citizenship.
No independent assessment was available for this report.