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US justice department moves to strip citizenship of 40 naturalized citizens
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- The US Justice Department under Donald Trump's administration has initiated denaturalization proceedings against 40 naturalized citizens accused of serious crimes, marking the largest such effort during his tenure.
- These denaturalization actions, filed between August 21 and October 2, involve offenses including acting as foreign agents, voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy against a special-needs individual.
- The Justice Department alleges these individuals concealed critical facts during their naturalization process, enabling revocation of citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- This initiative follows a 2025 memo from the Justice Department to expand denaturalization efforts, aligning with Trump's broader mass deportation agenda, with about 120 people denaturalized from 2017 to late 2025.
- Among those targeted is Jinchao Wei, a former US Navy sailor convicted of espionage for China, who concealed his illegal activities during naturalization and received a 16-year prison sentence.
