The Trump administration is seeking to revoke U.S. citizenship from 40 naturalized Americans over allegations of fraud and illegal conduct. The Justice Department describes the cases as part of its largest modern denaturalization initiative.
Officials say the individuals obtained citizenship through false statements, concealed criminal activity or other immigration violations.
The cases involve people aged 26 to 76 who originally came from 20 countries. They include nine people from Mexico and four from Pakistan.
The Justice Department has made denaturalization a priority under President Donald Trump’s immigration policy. However, federal courts must determine whether the government has sufficient legal grounds to revoke citizenship.
Trump Administration Expands Citizenship Revocation Cases
The Justice Department alleges that the 40 cases involve various forms of misconduct.
These include immigration fraud, identity theft, sham marriages and concealed deportation orders.
Some cases also involve individuals convicted of espionage, financial crimes, manslaughter or offenses involving minors.
However, a criminal conviction does not automatically result in the loss of naturalized citizenship.
Federal law requires the government to establish that an individual obtained citizenship illegally or through material misrepresentation.
In most civil denaturalization cases, federal prosecutors must present evidence before a judge.
The Supreme Court also limits the government’s authority in such proceedings.
In its 2017 Maslenjak v. United States decision, the court ruled that false statements must have a meaningful connection to obtaining citizenship.
Therefore, not every inaccurate statement during naturalization provides sufficient grounds for revocation.
Espionage and Immigration Fraud Among Allegations
One case involves Jinchao Wei, a former U.S. Navy sailor born in China.
A court convicted Wei in 2025 of espionage-related offenses involving military information and China.
Prosecutors argue that he began the underlying conduct before obtaining U.S. citizenship in May 2022.
They also allege that he concealed relevant information during naturalization. Wei received a 200-month prison sentence.
Another case concerns Ping Li, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government.
According to prosecutors, Li gathered information about Chinese dissidents, democracy advocates and Falun Gong members.
The Justice Department also seeks to revoke the citizenship of Nadia Hassan Mohamed Ali, originally from Egypt.
Prosecutors accuse her of making false statements involving employment history and H-1B visa petitions.
Meanwhile, officials allege that Ahmad Bahar Khattak, originally from Pakistan, used multiple identities to avoid deportation.
They also accuse Asad John Rahim, an Afghan national, of using another person’s identity to obtain immigration benefits.
Another case involves Ian Lumsden, originally from Britain.
Lumsden pleaded guilty to a federal child sexual abuse material offense in 2021 and received a nine-year prison sentence.
The government alleges that he concealed conduct that began before his naturalization.
Citizenship Revocation Cases Increase Sharply
The Justice Department expanded its denaturalization efforts through a policy directive in June 2025.
The directive instructed prosecutors to prioritize cases involving fraud, serious criminal conduct and national security concerns.
According to figures cited by the Brennan Center for Justice, federal authorities pursued an average of approximately 11 denaturalization cases annually between 1990 and 2017.
That figure increased to around 25 cases annually during Trump’s first presidential term.
More recently, the pace has accelerated.
At least 105 denaturalization lawsuits were reportedly filed during the first seven months of 2026.
For comparison, the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse recorded approximately 125 cases between 2008 and the end of 2025.
The Justice Department announced another 40 cases between August 21 and October 2.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the initiative as the largest denaturalization effort in modern U.S. history.
Nevertheless, filing a lawsuit does not mean the government has already revoked an individual’s citizenship.
Each case requires a legal determination, and the government must satisfy the applicable burden of proof.
The growing number of cases reflects the administration’s increased focus on investigating alleged fraud in the naturalization process.
