Trump Administration Seeks to Accelerate U.S. Citizens' Denaturalization

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The Trump administration plans to significantly ramp up efforts to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans, according to an internal guidance document obtained by the New York Times. The new guidance, issued on Tuesday, instructs USCIS field offices to provide the Office of Immigration Litigation with 100 to 200 denaturalization cases each month during the 2026 fiscal year, representing a sharp increase from the approximately 11 cases annually between 1990 and 2017, as reported by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.

Under U.S. law, denaturalization can occur for reasons such as illegally acquiring U.S. citizenship or providing false information during the naturalization process. However, critics warn that the administration’s aggressive approach could sweep up individuals who made honest mistakes on their paperwork and create widespread fear among lawful residents.

Denaturalization proceedings can be lengthy, sometimes taking years to complete. A USCIS spokesperson acknowledged that prioritizing those who unlawfully obtained citizenship is no secret and emphasized that the agency will pursue cases where individuals lied or misrepresented facts during naturalization.

This push comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies, including closing loopholes and implementing travel bans. Since January, the administration has also paused immigration applications from certain non-European countries. The Justice Department has signaled that denaturalization will be a top priority this year, aiming to target people involved in activities such as gang affiliation, financial fraud, drug-related crimes, or violence.

There are approximately 26 million naturalized Americans today, with over 800,000 new citizens sworn in last year, predominantly from Mexico, India, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam, according to USCIS data. Most individuals who lose their citizenship revert to lawful permanent residents. Experts note that despite the increased referrals, the complex legal process may still pose challenges in successfully denaturalizing individuals on a large scale.