Phoenix — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche highlighted the Trump administration’s intensified initiative to strip certain foreign-born Americans of their citizenship during an interview with CBS News on Wednesday, asserting that many of these individuals should not hold citizenship status.
In a discussion in Phoenix, Blanche indicated that the second Trump administration is actively pursuing a greater number of denaturalization cases than in the previous nine years. He emphasized that immigrants who acquired American citizenship through fraudulent means ought to be “concerned.”
“If someone seeks to become a citizen in this country through deceitful or illegal means, they should indeed be worried,” Blanche remarked.
When questioned about the specific targets of this denaturalization initiative, Blanche stated, “We are not restricting our efforts to a particular group, but unfortunately, you will hear more about this in the days and weeks to come, as many individuals who hold citizenship should not be doing so.”
Blanche refrained from disclosing the exact number of naturalized citizens who may face the loss of their citizenship as part of this crackdown, which forms part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration to scrutinize legal immigrants more rigorously.
While the Department of Homeland Security oversees most aspects of the U.S. immigration system, the Justice Department holds the responsibility for revoking citizenship from naturalized individuals. This process involves a complex and infrequently utilized legal procedure that requires persuading judges through civil or criminal actions in federal court to denaturalize citizens born abroad. To achieve this, the Justice Department must establish that the individual obtained their citizenship fraudulently, such as by providing false information on their applications. From 1990 to 2017, federal authorities initiated just over 300 denaturalization cases, averaging about 11 annually.
Traditionally, denaturalizations have been reserved for severe cases, primarily involving naturalized citizens accused of human rights violations, violent crimes, or posing threats to national security. However, last year, the Justice Department issued a memorandum directing officials to broaden the scope of denaturalization targets to include individuals accused of financial fraud. Officials from the Trump administration have also publicly advocated for an increase in denaturalization efforts.
This campaign has raised concerns among naturalized citizens, a group that numbered 24 million in 2023. Addressing these worries, Blanche expressed uncertainty as to why there would be apprehension among those who did not illegally obtain their citizenship.
“I don’t believe that the 24 million citizens are genuinely worried. I think it’s a very small fraction of them who have concerns. And yes, those few should be worried,” he stated.
Blanche also questioned why this campaign has become a point of controversy, asserting, “Fraud should not be tolerated. Lies should not be accepted.”
He acknowledged that there is a process available for individuals targeted by denaturalization efforts to contest the proceedings. While he admitted that the revocation of citizenship is a “drastic consequence,” he underscored that securing citizenship through fraudulent means is also a “drastic action.”
