Trump DOJ moves to strip naturalized citizenship of 12 people
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- The Justice Department has initiated denaturalization proceedings against 12 individuals accused of serious offenses, marking an increase in the use of this practice during the Trump administration.
- Denaturalization, which involves revoking citizenship due to fraud or misrepresentation during the naturalization process, has historically been rare but has risen from an average of 11 cases per year (1990-2017) to about 25 annually under Trump’s first term.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the administration's commitment to enforcing immigration laws by targeting those who concealed criminal histories or misrepresented themselves to obtain citizenship.
- The Trump administration has expanded denaturalization priorities, with a 2023 Justice Department memo broadening civil division efforts, reflecting a broader strategy to address immigration violations among naturalized citizens.
- As of 2024, there are approximately 26 million naturalized U.S. citizens, with over 818,000 new citizens welcomed that year, highlighting the scale of the population potentially affected by denaturalization policies.
