The U.S. Department of Justice is moving to revoke the citizenship of 40 naturalized Americans, marking another major expansion of the Trump administration’s denaturalization campaign.
The latest cases target foreign born Americans whom federal authorities accuse of obtaining citizenship through fraud, concealment of material facts or false statements during the naturalization process, according to reports published Sunday.
The move does not mean that citizenship has already been revoked. Denaturalization generally requires legal proceedings, and allegations contained in government complaints must still be proven in court.
The Justice Department has significantly increased such actions during 2026. In August, DOJ announced 25 denaturalization complaints filed within roughly two weeks, describing it as the largest such enforcement action at the time.
Federal law allows the government to seek revocation of naturalized citizenship when it alleges that citizenship was illegally obtained or secured through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.
The campaign has already included cases involving alleged immigration and identity fraud, serious criminal offenses and false information provided during naturalization. In July, the Justice Department announced cases against 10 naturalized citizens, while another 17 cases had been announced in June.
By August, the Justice Department said approximately 123 civil denaturalization complaints had been filed since January 20, 2025, which it described as the highest number in recorded history.
The issue is legally and politically sensitive because denaturalization applies specifically to people who obtained U.S. citizenship through naturalization. Legal experts note that the government faces significant legal hurdles and cannot simply cancel citizenship without satisfying the requirements established under federal law.
The latest development is likely to keep U.S. citizenship and immigration enforcement at the center of the national debate as the administration continues expanding its denaturalization efforts.
