DOJ Files to Strip Citizenship From 40 Naturalized Americans in Record Push

The Justice Department has filed court actions seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of 40 naturalized Americans — the largest single batch of denaturalization cases under the Trump administration.

The civil complaints were filed between August 21 and October 2, 2026, in 19 federal district courts across the country, from California and Texas to New York and Florida. Attorney General Todd Blanche called it "the largest denaturalization effort in modern history."

The department says the 40 individuals are accused of serious offenses, including acting as an agent of a foreign government, voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy against a man with special needs. Other complaints allege sexual abuse of minors, money laundering, immigration fraud, and espionage — two defendants are accused of spying for China. One woman allegedly concealed money-laundering activity that began before she became a citizen; another defendant allegedly failed to disclose a prior conviction for transporting child pornography.

The individuals range in age from 26 to 76. Reporting on the filings lists countries of origin including Mexico, Pakistan, China, and Sierra Leone, with the largest number coming from Mexico.

"Every single one of these individuals lied their way into U.S. citizenship," said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, who heads the department's Civil Division. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized citizen's citizenship can be revoked if it was illegally procured or obtained through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.

The department stressed that the claims are allegations only and that no court has ruled on them — the filings ask courts to cancel the naturalizations; none of the 40 have been stripped of citizenship yet.

The push fits a broader surge. The department said in early August it had filed 123 civil denaturalization complaints since President Trump took office in January 2025. That pace dwarfs historical norms: between 1990 and 2017, the department averaged just 11 such cases a year, and the Biden administration brought 24 across four years.

Shumate said the department intends to keep going: "This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalization effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship."

Sources: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, Al Jazeera, The National News Desk (TNND).