The Trump administration, citing internal USCIS guidance reported by The New York Times, is directing field offices to forward 100–200 denaturalization cases per month for fiscal 2026 — a sharp increase from historical averages. Denaturalization can occur if citizenship was obtained unlawfully or if a material misrepresentation was made during naturalization, and cases are litigated in federal court. USCIS calls the move part of a "war on fraud," while legal experts warn the scale of the effort could raise due-process and civil-rights concerns.
U.S. Plans Major Increase in Denaturalizations: USCIS Told to Seek 100–200 Cases a Month
FILE PHOTO: Melissa W. Maxim shakes hands and offers a Certificate of Citizenship to a new American citizen at the Glacier Point amphitheater in Yosemite National Park, California, U.S., September 17, 2025. REUTERS/Tracy Barbutes/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) — The Trump administration plans to intensify efforts to revoke the U.S. citizenship of certain naturalized Americans, according to internal guidance reported by The New York Times.
The guidance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), issued Tuesday, directs field offices to "supply Office of Immigration Litigation with 100–200 denaturalization cases per month" for fiscal year 2026 — a substantial rise from historical levels.
Advocates and experts note that denaturalizations averaged roughly 11 cases per year between 1990 and 2017, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. If the new target is met, it would represent a dramatic escalation in the pace of denaturalization litigation.
Under U.S. law, a naturalized citizen can be denaturalized if citizenship was obtained unlawfully or if the individual made a material misrepresentation during the naturalization process. Denaturalization is pursued through federal civil litigation and timelines vary widely; cases can take years to resolve.
A USCIS spokesperson described the move as part of the agency's "war on fraud," saying: "We will pursue denaturalization proceedings for those individuals lying or misrepresenting themselves during the naturalization process."
The guidance arrives amid a broader shift in immigration policy under President Donald Trump's administration, including travel restrictions, efforts to limit birthright citizenship, and a recent pause on certain immigration applications — including green card and naturalization processing — for applicants from 19 non-European countries.
Legal and civil-rights groups have warned that a large-scale push to denaturalize could raise serious concerns about due process, administrative capacity, and the risk of wrongful denaturalizations. Observers say any expansion will likely prompt close judicial scrutiny and potential legal challenges.
Reporting: Jasper Ward in Washington. Editing: Rod Nickel. Sources: The New York Times, USCIS, Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
