Justice Department Launches Largest-Ever Push to Revoke Citizenship of 24 Naturalized Americans

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed denaturalization complaints against 24 individuals it accuses of obtaining American citizenship through fraud and deception, marking the largest coordinated effort to strip citizenship in the department's history.

The complaints, filed between July 20 and August 3, target naturalized citizens originally from 17 countries, including Pakistan, India, Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and others. Officials say the individuals allegedly concealed serious criminal histories—including violent felonies, sexual offenses, and large-scale fraud—when they applied for citizenship.

"U.S. citizenship is one of our nation's highest privileges, and it must be obtained lawfully and honestly," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. He emphasized that the complaints allege the individuals secured naturalization "through fraud, concealment, or other unlawful conduct—including by concealing violent crimes, sexual offenses against children, fraudulent identities, and other disqualifying facts."

The alleged conduct in these cases spans a broad spectrum of offenses. Prosecutors say some defendants hid convictions for attempted murder, while others concealed child sexual abuse, domestic violence, marriage fraud, identity fraud, passport fraud, bank and credit card fraud, and practicing medicine without a license.

Justice Department's Civil Division Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate called the filings "the largest denaturalization surge in recorded history."

"Every one of these individuals committed crimes incompatible with U.S. citizenship," Shumate said. "We are moving at record speed to denaturalize those who sought to deceive the federal government and abuse the naturalization process."

Specific examples illustrate the nature of the allegations. In North Carolina, prosecutors are seeking to revoke the citizenship of a man who allegedly obtained citizenship through military service but was later convicted of attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon—offenses that would have disqualified him from naturalization. A separate case in South Carolina involves a naturalized citizen accused of concealing a violent domestic assault in which he beat and choked his wife, leaving her hospitalized. He later pleaded guilty to assault and battery.

Monday's filings bring the total number of denaturalization complaints filed since January 20, 2025, to 88, as the Trump administration has significantly accelerated enforcement efforts targeting individuals who officials say secured citizenship unlawfully.

Blanche indicated the department views this as merely the opening phase of a broader initiative.

"Today's filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalization effort in Department history, but they are only the beginning," he said. "The Justice Department will continue to use every tool available to protect the integrity of the naturalization process and the safety of the American people."

The legal proceedings will give the affected individuals opportunities to contest the government's claims in court before any final determination on their citizenship status is made.