Trump Administration Announces Largest-Ever Denaturalization Campaign Against 17 U.S. Citizens
The Trump administration announced it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalized U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud and serious crimes, marking what officials say is the largest such effort in U.S. history. The denaturalization power, which allows the government to strip citizenship from those who allegedly committed fraud during naturalization, was rarely used before Trump's return to office, with an average of only 11 cases per year between 1990 and 2017. The move reflects the administration's broader crackdown on immigration and represents a significant escalation in the use of a legal tool that has historically been complex and seldom invoked.
The Trump administration announced Monday that it is pursuing denaturalization cases against 17 U.S. citizens accused of immigration fraud and serious crimes, including violent offenses and sex crimes against children. According to Justice Department officials, this represents the largest-ever effort by the U.S. government to use its denaturalization powers. The individuals targeted include a former Catholic priest accused of child sex abuse, a man convicted of receiving sexually explicit images of minors, and others accused of fraud-related crimes or using false identities. Federal law has long permitted the government to revoke citizenship from naturalized citizens who allegedly committed fraud during the naturalization process, such as concealing criminal conduct or lacking good moral character. However, the process has historically been lengthy and rarely used—averaging just 11 cases annually between 1990 and 2017. The Trump administration has significantly expanded denaturalization efforts as part of its larger immigration crackdown, broadening the categories of naturalized citizens prioritized for denaturalization in 2025 and announcing a dozen cases last month before this latest round.
What's missing
The articles do not provide information on the legal timeline for these denaturalization proceedings, the specific defenses or arguments the targeted individuals may raise, or any civil liberties concerns raised by immigration advocates or legal experts regarding the expansion of denaturalization authority.
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