The justice department said it filed denaturalization actions against 40 naturalized citizens accused of crimes in cases submitted between August 21 and October 2. Officials called it the largest such push in a single period of this administration.
The US justice department has moved to strip the citizenship of 40 naturalized citizens accused of crimes in what officials called the largest such initiative over a single period of this administration The Guardian reported. The denaturalization requests were filed in multiple federal courts between August 21 and October 2.
Officials said the alleged offences include acting as an agent for a foreign government voluntary manslaughter and aggravated sodomy. USA Today citing Attorney General Todd Blanche said the group ranged from a person convicted of espionage to people convicted of sexual offences against minors. USA Today also said at least 19 of the 40 cases related to accusations of lying on visa forms.
The Immigration and Nationality Act allows a federal court to revoke naturalized citizenship if the government proves it was obtained illegally through concealment of a material fact or wilful misrepresentation. The Guardian said the 40 people came from countries including Mexico China Iran Pakistan and the Philippines. One person named was Jinchao Wei a former Chinese-born US Navy sailor convicted in August 2025 on charges including espionage.
USA Today said the largest number on a Department of Homeland Security list 11 were from Mexico and that ages ranged from 26 to 76. The filings are requests not completed revocations. No court had ruled on the batch in the reports used here.
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- Todd Blanche called the announcement the largest denaturalization effort in modern history.
- He said the defendants concealed critical facts and represented serious criminal offenders.