The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to strip certain foreign-born Americans of their U.S. citizenship, with officials reportedly aiming to initiate between 100 and 200 denaturalization cases per month in 2026.

 

 

According to a report, guidance issued in December 2025 instructed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security, to “supply the Office of Immigration Litigation with 100-200 denaturalization cases per month” during the year.

 

 

 

The plans are now being implemented, with agency experts reportedly visiting field offices nationwide and reassigning staff to review past naturalization cases to determine whether some individuals could face denaturalization proceedings.

 

 

Revoking citizenship remains relatively rare. Data from the Brennan Center for Justice shows that between 1990 and 2017, there were an average of just 11 denaturalization cases per year. Under U.S. law, citizenship can generally only be revoked under specific circumstances, such as when it was obtained through fraud or material misrepresentation during the application process.

 

 

 

Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for USCIS, said the administration is focusing on cases involving credible evidence of fraud.

 

 

 

“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.” He previously described the effort as part of a broader “war on fraud.”

 

 

 

In 2024, approximately 26 million naturalized U.S. citizens were living in the United States. Over the past decade, the immigration agency says it has welcomed more than 7.9 million new citizens.

 

 

A Department of Justice memorandum issued in June 2025 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.”

 

 

Officials have indicated that action may be taken against individuals believed to pose a potential threat to national security or those accused of acquiring citizenship through “material misrepresentations.”

 

 

However, immigration attorneys and advocacy groups have raised concerns that the broader guidelines could lead to a significant expansion of denaturalization efforts, potentially affecting a wider range of U.S. citizens than in the past.