Trump Administration Seeks to Revoke Citizenship of 12 Naturalized Americans

The Trump administration on Friday announced a major expansion of its denaturalization campaign, filing actions in federal courts against 12 naturalized U.S. citizens born overseas. Officials said the individuals are accused of serious crimes, immigration fraud or ties to terrorism that should have barred them from citizenship.

The move represents one of the largest single-day uses of denaturalization in recent memory. Between 1990 and 2017 the government filed just over 300 such cases, an average of roughly 11 per year. Friday's actions signal a return to aggressive use of the tool, which requires prosecutors to prove with clear and convincing evidence that citizenship was obtained illegally or through material fraud.

The 12 targeted citizens come from Bolivia, China, Colombia, Gambia, India, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Somalia and Uzbekistan. Among them are a Colombian-born Catholic priest convicted of sexually assaulting a minor, a Moroccan man with alleged ties to al Qaeda, a Somali who pleaded guilty to providing material support to al Shabaab, and a former Gambian police officer allegedly involved in war crimes.

Others allegedly used false identities or entered sham marriages to obtain immigration benefits. In a separate filing the Justice Department is also seeking to denaturalize a former American diplomat who admitted to spying for Cuba. Once citizenship is revoked, individuals revert to their prior immigration status, typically lawful permanent resident, making them subject to deportation.

The process can also carry criminal penalties if the underlying fraud led to a conviction.

The Justice Department has ordered an increase in denaturalization referrals as part of broader immigration enforcement priorities. Officials described the 12 cases as part of a larger effort that will continue in coming weeks. One target from Iraq allegedly omitted from his naturalization application that his home country sought his extradition for the murder of two police officers while he led an al Qaeda cell.

Another, naturalized in 2007, joined al Shabaab shortly afterward and later pleaded guilty to providing the group material support. Prosecutors argue that joining a terrorist organization within five years of naturalization provides grounds for revocation.

A Uzbek national allegedly used a sham marriage while an individual from Colombia concealed 13 counts of child sexual abuse, including sodomy, during the naturalization process. The high evidentiary bar means only cases with documented, intentional and material misrepresentation typically proceed.

Fraud must be significant enough that citizenship would not have been granted had authorities known the truth. Minor or unintentional omissions do not meet the standard.

24 million naturalized citizens live in the United States. Officials stated that only those who obtained citizenship through fraud have reason for concern. In an interview earlier this week, the acting attorney general said the goal is to disincentivize fraud during the naturalization process.

Immigration advocacy groups expressed worry that the expanded campaign could unsettle lawful naturalized citizens who fear minor mistakes might be scrutinized. Denaturalization remains a civil or criminal judicial proceeding that can take years and requires court approval.

After revocation, affected individuals lose voting rights, passports and other benefits of citizenship.

“Individuals implicated in committing fraud, heinous crimes such as sexual abuse, or expressing support for terrorism should never have been naturalized as United States citizens.”

The cases were filed in federal courts across the country. Additional actions are expected as the administration continues reviewing naturalization files for evidence of concealment. The development comes amid separate efforts to deport asylum-seekers to third countries and increased scrutiny of refugee programs.

Officials have not released the full names of all 12 targets, citing ongoing litigation.