Trump Administration Launches Sweeping Plan to Denaturalize Citizens Who Obtained U.S. Citizenship via Fraud

By Charlie McCarthy | Thursday, February 12, 2026 08:17 AM EST

The Trump administration has reportedly launched a major effort to increase denaturalization cases targeting foreign-born Americans who committed fraud during their U.S. citizenship applications.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has directed its field offices to provide the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation with 100 to 200 potential denaturalization cases per month in fiscal year 2026.

This would represent a dramatic escalation compared to recent years, when the Justice Department filed just over 120 such cases from 2017 through fiscal year 2025. USCIS has been deploying experts to field offices nationwide and reassigning staff to identify potential instances where citizenship may have been obtained through fraud or misrepresentation.

The agency aims to significantly increase referrals to Justice Department attorneys, who must ultimately prove their cases in federal court. Under federal law, denaturalization is permitted only in narrow circumstances, primarily when an individual concealed material facts or committed fraud during the naturalization process.

Administration officials maintain that the renewed push focuses on enforcing existing immigration laws rather than changing them. “We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward fraud in the naturalization process and will pursue denaturalization proceedings for any individual who lied or misrepresented themselves,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser. “The agency will work with the Justice Department to ensure that only those who meet citizenship standards retain the privilege of U.S. citizenship.”

The Justice Department has also indicated it intends to prioritize such cases, with a summer memo stating its civil division would “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by evidence.”

Potential targets include individuals linked to gang activity, terrorism, war crimes, financial fraud, or other serious offenses. Supporters of stricter immigration enforcement argue the effort is long overdue. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies noted that the country has been “so far from denaturalizing” individuals who obtained citizenship improperly that concerns about overreach are misplaced. With approximately 26 million naturalized citizens in the United States and more than 800,000 new citizens sworn in last year, proponents emphasize safeguarding the integrity of the system.

Critics, including former USCIS officials and immigration advocates, warn that numerical targets could politicize a process historically used sparingly. They argue aggressive enforcement might create fear among law-abiding naturalized citizens and impose significant legal costs even in cases that do not ultimately succeed. Legal experts note denaturalization remains difficult, requiring the government to present clear and convincing evidence in federal court. The Supreme Court has ruled that any alleged misrepresentation must have been material to the citizenship decision.

President Donald Trump has long emphasized the importance of restoring integrity to the immigration system. Administration officials state that rooting out fraud, even years after citizenship was granted, is necessary to ensure American citizenship remains meaningful and reserved for those who obtained it lawfully.