DOJ Plans At Least 250 Denaturalization Cases In 2026 Fiscal Year
The Justice Department plans to revoke the citizenship of more than 250 foreign-born Americans by the fall of 2026, a department official told CBS News on Thursday, June 18, 2026.[1]
CBS described the effort as an "aggressive expansion" of denaturalization and said officials expect the 250-plus target to be reached on an accelerated timetable, by the end of the current fiscal year.[1]
President Trump issued an executive order in January 2025 directing the State Department, the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies to identify violations of the naturalization process under federal law. On June 11, 2025, the DOJ Civil Division made denaturalization one of its top five civil enforcement priorities and told attorneys to "prioritize and maximally pursue" such cases. In December 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services instructed field offices to refer 100 to 200 denaturalization cases per month to the DOJ's Office of Immigration Litigation for fiscal year 2026.
Between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed 305 denaturalization cases — an average of about 11 per year — making the new 250-plus target a sharp escalation. The plan has already drawn mixed reactions online, with some users applauding tougher enforcement and others warning of legal fights over who can legally have citizenship revoked.
The mainstream summary emphasizes the Justice Department's plan to revoke citizenship from over 250 individuals, framing it as an aggressive expansion of denaturalization efforts. However, it does not mention the broader context of this initiative, which includes the fact that there were approximately 25.8 million naturalized U.S. citizens as of 2024, representing 8 percent of the total U.S. population. This statistic highlights the scale of the potential impact of the DOJ's actions on a significant portion of the population, a nuance absent from the mainstream account. Furthermore, while the summary notes the historical average of 11 denaturalization cases per year from 1990 to 2017, it fails to address the legal complexities involved in civil denaturalization, which require the government to provide clear and convincing evidence of wrongdoing, with no statute of limitations. This detail suggests that while the number of cases may increase, the legal hurdles could complicate the execution of these plans significantly.
Additionally, social media perspectives reveal a divide in public opinion regarding the DOJ's strategy. Some users applaud the move as a restoration of sovereignty and rule of law, while others caution about the potential for court challenges regarding eligibility for denaturalization. This reflects a broader tension in public sentiment that the mainstream summary does not capture, indicating that the implications of this policy may be more contentious than suggested.
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
There were approximately 25.8 million naturalized U.S. citizens as of 2024, representing 8 percent of the total U.S. population.
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Between 1990 and 2017, the DOJ filed a total of 305 denaturalization cases, an average of 11 per year.
Justice Dept. Targets Hundreds of Citizens in New Push for Denaturalization — The New York Times
Civil denaturalization requires the government to prove by clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence that naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation, with no statute of limitations.
Denaturalization: Fact Sheet — forumtogether.org
📌 Key Facts
- A Justice Department official told CBS News on Thursday, June 18, 2026 that the Trump administration plans to revoke the citizenship of more than 250 foreign-born Americans by the fall of 2026.
- The CBS News segment frames the initiative as an "aggressive expansion" of denaturalization cases.
- The report says the 250-plus target is expected on an accelerated timetable, explicitly stating the goal should be reached "by the end of the current fiscal year." CBS News
- The story appeared as a CBS News video posted to CBS's Facebook account with a Central timestamp of Thursday, June 18, 2026 3:41 PM.
- The reporting specifies the planned denaturalizations would affect "foreign-born Americans." CBS News
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Thursday, June 18, 2026, a Justice Department official told CBS News the Trump administration plans to revoke the citizenship of more than 250 foreign-born Americans by the fall of 2026.
- The CBS segment frames the plan as an 'aggressive expansion' of denaturalization and indicates the 250-plus target is expected to be reached on the same accelerated timetable, i.e., by the end of the current fiscal year.