The Trump administration is considering a major expansion of efforts to strip US citizenship from naturalized Americans, sparking alarm among immigration advocates and sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers who warn the move could undermine the foundations of American citizenship.
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According to internal guidance circulated to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices and first reported by The New York Times, the administration has asked the agency to supply the Justice Department with 100 to 200 denaturalisation cases per month during the 2026 fiscal year. If implemented, the plan would represent an unprecedented escalation in modern US history.
By comparison, just over 120 denaturalisation cases were filed in total between 2017 and 2025, according to Justice Department figures cited by US media. Meeting the new targets could result in up to 2,400 cases annually.
I joined @theweekendmsnow to discuss the administration’s push to expand denaturalization. There’s no national security justification for the admin to expand this extreme, rarely used process.
It doesn’t make us safer; it terrorizes immigrants and naturalized citizens. pic.twitter.com/Oa072cdkX1— Andrea R. Flores (@Arosaflores) December 21, 2025
USCIS spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser said the focus would be on cases involving fraud or misrepresentation during the naturalisation process. He told US media that the administration aimed to restore integrity to the immigration system by pursuing individuals found to have lied to obtain citizenship.
Immigration law experts, however, say denaturalisation has historically been rare and limited to exceptional cases. Elizabeth Taufa of the Immigrant Legal Resource Centre warned that setting numerical targets could create a chilling effect among naturalised citizens and those eligible to apply for citizenship. She cautioned that meeting such quotas could encourage rushed or flawed investigations.
The proposal has drawn strong condemnation from Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, the ranking Democrat on the House Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, said the plan would weaponise the immigration system and intimidate immigrants, including US citizens. She warned that weakening the security of citizenship should concern all Americans.
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The guidance comes amid a broader immigration crackdown by the administration, including tighter asylum restrictions and proposed changes to public charge rules. Immigration advocates and legal experts expect the denaturalisation plan to face legal challenges, arguing that US law permits revocation of citizenship only under narrow and well-defined circumstances.