Justice Department announces denaturalization effort against 40 people accused of serious crimes

The Justice Department announced Monday that it has filed denaturalization actions against 40 people who have been accused of serious offenses, including acting as an agent for a foreign government and committing voluntary manslaughter.

The Department of Justice said the actions have been filed in multiple U.S. district courts between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2, 2026, and represent the most amount of complaints submitted in a single period under the Trump administration.

“Today’s announcement marks the largest denaturalization effort in modern history,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders. 

"Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people," he added.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship can be revoked if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

“Every single one of these individuals lied their way into U.S. citizenship,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the DOJ's Civil Division said. “This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalization effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship. Our message is clear: the United States will not tolerate deception in the naturalization process.”

The crimes also include aggravated sodomy, sexual abuse of a minor and immigration fraud. The individuals came from around the globe, with the greatest number being from Mexico, and they range in age from 26 to 76.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.