Trump team targets surge in cases to strip citizenship from some naturalised Americans

Trump team targets surge in cases to strip citizenship from some naturalised Americans

The Biden-era backlash over immigration policy has shifted sharply under US President Donald Trump, with the administration now planning to significantly increase efforts to strip citizenship from some naturalised Americans, according to multiple reports based on internal US government guidance. Critics say the proposed move marks a major escalation of denaturalisation, a legal process that has historically been rare and narrowly applied.

New targets and internal guidance

Internal instructions recently issued to field offices of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) direct officials to supply the Office of Immigration Litigation with between 100 and 200 denaturalisation cases per month in the upcoming fiscal year 2026, according to guidance cited by The New York Times and later reported by Reuters and other international outlets. Under that pace, the number of cases could exceed typical totals from the preceding decade.

Historically, denaturalisation actions have been rare. Between 1990 and 2017, federal authorities brought an average of about 11 cases per year, and in total just over 120 cases had been filed between 2017 and 2025, according to data cited in reporting.

What denaturalisation involves

US federal law allows the government to revoke US citizenship only under specific circumstances. These generally include situations where citizenship was obtained illegally, such as through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts during the naturalisation process. Once denaturalised, individuals lose the full rights of US citizens and may revert to legal permanent resident status, opening the door to possible removal proceedings.

A USCIS spokesperson told Reuters that the agency’s prioritisation was focused on individuals who “unlawfully obtained US citizenship,” framing the push as part of broader efforts to combat immigration fraud.

Reactions and concerns

Several former USCIS officials have voiced concern that imposing numerical targets for denaturalisation risk politicising a tool that is normally used sparingly and with careful legal oversight. A former official told The Independent that setting monthly quotas far exceeding historic annual totals could fuel “unnecessary fear and uncertainty for the millions of naturalised Americans” who believed their status was secure.

Legal and immigration rights advocates have also raised potential civil rights concerns, noting the high legal bar required to prove fraud or misrepresentation in federal court and warning that overly aggressive use of denaturalisation powers could undermine trust in the immigration system.

Broader enforcement context

The denaturalisation initiative comes as part of a broader Trump administration agenda tightening immigration enforcement, which has included expanded deportation priorities and other measures targeting both undocumented immigrants and some lawful permanent residents. However, legal experts emphasise that denaturalisation is a complex, civil court process that can take years to complete and must meet stringent evidentiary standards.