What is denaturalization? Here's why it could ramp up under Trump
Historically, denaturalization proceedings in the United States have been rare, with only a handful of cases being brought per year. However, under President Donald Trump 's administration, these cases have crept into the hundreds.
Trump's Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have revitalized his first administration's goal of removing citizenship from foreign-born people in the thousands, a number it didn't reach the first time around, USA TODAY previously reported.
Boasting in a press statement that it has initiated the "highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history," the administration last week identified at least 384 naturalized citizens whose status it plans to challenge or potentially revoke, the New York Times reported.
While the reasoning behind these nearly 400 cases was not disclosed, the federal government has not been shy about using denaturalization as a tool and priority.
"We're also not afraid to use denaturalization," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in December when discussing Somali-Americans in Minnesota who allegedly engaged in fraud. "That's a tool at the president and the secretary of state's disposal, and it's one this administration has previously used before."
Here's what to know about the process, how it works and who might be at risk.
What is denaturalization?
Denaturalization is the process by which the federal government can remove a naturalized U.S. citizen's status, according to the National Immigration Forum, a Washington, DC-based immigrant advocacy nonprofit.
To become naturalized, a non-citizen or lawful permanent resident (also known as a green card holder) will undergo a legal process in which they must meet requirements specified by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
This option is available to people who fit a set of prerequisites, which include but are not limited to age, length of lawful permanent resident status for 3-5 years, length of time living in the United States and character and skill tests.
Once you qualify, the process to become naturalized includes an application, a slew of documentation, an interview, English and civics tests and taking an oath of allegiance. A naturalized individual is considered a full citizen of the United States with every benefit, right and expectation of that title, including voting, obtaining a passport, federal employment and protection from deportation, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services .
In the case of denaturalization, the government "takes back" this designation. When the government brings a case against a person they seek to denaturalize, they are generally saying the individual was not eligible and did not meet the requirements to become naturalized when they were granted citizenship. Often, this is based on an accusation of fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.
How does denaturalization work?
A federal agency cannot revoke a person’s citizenship on its own. A denaturalization case can be filed as either criminal or civil; however, it must be filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in federal court, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center .
From there, a federal judge must oversee a trial in which both sides present arguments, and then make a ruling on the proposed denaturalization.
Historically, the DOJ predominantly targeted people accused of serious crimes, and, even then, denaturalization cases were rare. They generally have been reserved for those who posed credible threats to public safety or national security, committed war crimes or crimes against humanity, or committed felonies before or during the naturalization process without disclosing them.
Those who engaged in fraud to obtain citizenship, such as faking a marriage or lying to officials, were also the primary subject of denaturalization proceedings, per the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Trump's DOJ cites 'highest volume denaturalization referrals in history'
During Trump's first four years, 102 denaturalization cases were filed, according to the Justice Department. The new push, however, has already identified nearly 400 citizens for undisclosed reasons, the New York Times reported in an article published April 23.
The DOJ has renewed its focus on denaturalization as part of Trump's anti-immigration push. In June of 2025, the department issued a memo about "prioritizing denaturalization," while also expanding the terms under which priority cases would be brought.
“The Department of Justice is laser-focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding the naturalization process,” the Justice Department recently told NBC News. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Department is pursuing the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history. We are moving at warp speed to ensure fraudsters are held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of DHS, has been sending and reassigning personnel to offices around the country to seek cases where citizenship could be revoked, giving staff a goal of 100 to 200 potential cases per month, NBC previously reported.
While the DOJ has said its focus is on criminals and people who fraudulently obtain citizenship, experts previously told USA TODAY that discrepancies as small as typographical errors could now flag someone for denaturalization consideration.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is denaturalization? Why it could ramp up under Trump
