By Obinna Uballa
The administration of Donald Trump is significantly expanding its campaign to revoke United States citizenship from naturalised immigrants, part of a broader crackdown on immigration, according to sources familiar with the plans.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reassigned staff and deployed experts across its field offices to identify potential denaturalisation cases. Officials aim to generate between 100 and 200 cases per month for litigation, a dramatic rise compared with just 102 cases filed over four years during Trump’s first term.
Denaturalisation, a legal process that revokes citizenship, has traditionally focused on individuals who concealed criminal histories or human rights violations when applying for naturalisation. The current push forms part of wider Department of Homeland Security (DHS) measures, including mass deportation operations, visa revocations, expanded detention facilities, and attempts to remove green card holders.
USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said the agency acts only when there is credible evidence of fraud or misrepresentation.
“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud in the naturalisation process and will pursue denaturalisation proceedings for any individual who lied or misrepresented themselves,” Tragesser told NBC News. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue those undermining the integrity of America’s immigration system and work with the Department of Justice to ensure that only those who meet citizenship standards retain the privilege of U.S. citizenship.”
To accelerate the process, trained staff are being embedded across more than 80 field offices. The Justice Department has also instructed attorneys to prioritise cases involving national security risks, war crimes, torture, or government fraud, with additional focus on “other significant cases.”
Trump has repeatedly targeted the concept of citizenship, including challenging birthright citizenship in the Supreme Court. On his Truth Social platform, he vowed to remove anyone he views as not a “net asset” to the U.S. and pledged to “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility.”
Approximately 800,000 people are naturalised in the U.S. each year, meeting criteria such as legal permanent residency, English proficiency, knowledge of civics, and demonstration of “good moral character.” Experts stress that revoking citizenship is rare and legally complex.
“It’s so important for current and future naturalised U.S. citizens to know that no president can unilaterally strip people of the citizenship they’ve worked so hard to earn,” said Doug Rand, a former USCIS official.
Observers say the expanded denaturalisation initiative represents one of the most aggressive moves yet in Trump’s immigration policy, signalling heightened scrutiny of naturalised Americans and renewed emphasis on enforcement.
