The Trump administration is advancing a significant expansion of federal denaturalization efforts, with internal guidance reportedly directing immigration authorities to initiate between 100 and 200 citizenship revocation cases per month in 2026.
According to a recent report, instructions issued in December 2025 tasked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with supplying the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation with a steady pipeline of denaturalization referrals throughout the year. The directive signals one of the most aggressive modern pushes to revisit previously granted naturalizations.
USCIS, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is now implementing the guidance. Agency experts have reportedly been dispatched to field offices across the country to review historical naturalization files. Staff have also been reassigned to examine whether certain individuals may be subject to denaturalization proceedings under existing law.
Denaturalization — the legal process of revoking U.S. citizenship — remains a rare and complex undertaking. Historically, such cases have been limited in scope and typically focused on individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud, concealment of material facts, or misrepresentation during the naturalization process.
Data compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice indicates that from 1990 through 2017, the federal government initiated an average of approximately 11 denaturalization cases per year. The new monthly target outlined in the December 2025 guidance would represent a dramatic increase in activity.
Under U.S. law, naturalized citizenship cannot be revoked arbitrarily. It can generally be rescinded only if prosecutors demonstrate that the individual illegally procured citizenship or willfully concealed or misrepresented material information during the application process. In civil denaturalization cases, the government bears the burden of proving its claims by “clear, unequivocal, and convincing” evidence — a standard higher than a mere preponderance but lower than the criminal threshold of beyond a reasonable doubt.
Matthew Tragesser, spokesperson for USCIS, defended the administration’s intensified approach, emphasizing that the focus remains on fraud prevention.
“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud in the naturalization process and will pursue denaturalization proceedings for any individual who lied or misrepresented themselves,” Tragesser said. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue those undermining the integrity of America’s immigration system and work alongside the Department of Justice to ensure that only those who meet citizenship standards retain the privilege of U.S. citizenship.”
Tragesser has previously described the initiative as part of a broader “war on fraud,” framing the effort as essential to preserving public confidence in the immigration system.
The scale of the review comes at a time when naturalized citizens make up a substantial portion of the U.S. population. In 2024, approximately 26 million naturalized citizens were residing in the United States. Over the past decade alone, USCIS reports that more than 7.9 million individuals have been granted U.S. citizenship through the naturalization process.
The Justice Department signaled its support for expanded enforcement in a memorandum issued in June 2025. The document stated that President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi would “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.”
Administration officials have indicated that denaturalization actions may target individuals believed to pose potential national security risks, as well as those accused of securing citizenship through material misrepresentation. Examples of past denaturalization cases have included individuals who failed to disclose prior criminal convictions, membership in prohibited organizations, or involvement in human rights abuses.
However, immigration attorneys and advocacy organizations have voiced concern that the broader guidance could significantly widen the net of enforcement. Critics argue that a dramatic increase in denaturalization referrals could introduce uncertainty for millions of naturalized Americans, particularly if the review process extends to minor or decades-old discrepancies in applications.
Some legal experts warn that the ramped-up approach may create a chilling effect within immigrant communities, potentially discouraging eligible permanent residents from applying for citizenship out of fear that their status could later be questioned.
“Denaturalization has historically been reserved for clear cases of fraud or serious misconduct,” one immigration attorney noted. “If the scope expands beyond that, it risks eroding the permanence and security traditionally associated with U.S. citizenship.”
Advocates have also raised due process concerns, emphasizing that citizenship — once granted — has long been regarded as a stable legal status. While denaturalization cases proceed through federal courts, critics argue that large-scale reviews could strain judicial resources and place heavy burdens on individuals required to defend naturalizations granted years or even decades earlier.
Supporters of the administration’s policy counter that safeguarding the integrity of the naturalization system is a legitimate government interest. They argue that citizenship obtained through deception undermines fairness and national security, and that a more systematic review process is warranted in light of technological advancements that allow authorities to cross-reference historical data more efficiently.
The renewed emphasis on denaturalization reflects a broader immigration enforcement strategy under the Trump administration, which has prioritized border security, fraud detection, and interior enforcement. While officials maintain that lawful, good-faith applicants have nothing to fear, critics remain skeptical about how aggressively the expanded policy may be applied in practice.
As 2026 approaches, the pace and scope of denaturalization cases will likely attract close scrutiny from lawmakers, courts, and civil rights organizations. The policy’s long-term implications — for both the immigration system and the millions of Americans who obtained citizenship through naturalization — remain to be seen.
For now, the administration appears committed to substantially increasing enforcement activity, marking a sharp departure from historical norms in the handling of citizenship revocation cases.
