Chicago – May 04, 2026
The U.S. Justice Department has identified 384 foreign-born Americans whose citizenship it wants to revoke, according to reporting by The New York Times and Reuters. The move is part of a broader Trump administration push to expand denaturalization cases nationwide.
What is happening
Officials are assigning these cases to civil litigators in U.S. attorney’s offices across the country, which could sharply increase the pace of citizenship-revocation proceedings. NBC News reported that the department is targeting at least 300 foreign-born citizens, while the Times put the number at 384.
Why it matters
Denaturalization is a rare and serious legal process that can strip naturalized citizens of their status if the government proves fraud or other disqualifying conduct in court. Reuters noted that the administration has framed the effort as part of a wider immigration-enforcement crackdown.
Legal and political context
The government has long had the authority to revoke citizenship in limited cases, but recent reporting shows a major expansion in how aggressively those cases are being pursued. Critics warn that the policy could create uncertainty for millions of naturalized Americans, while supporters say it targets alleged fraud.
