Trump administration launches largest single-period denaturalization effort
The US Department of Justice has filed denaturalization actions against 40 individuals accused of serious offenses, Qazinform News Agency reports.
These complaints represent the largest volume filed in a single period under the Donald Trump administration.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the move as the “largest denaturalization effort in modern history.”
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people,” Blanche said.
The complaints were filed in multiple US district courts between August 21 and October 2, 2026. The individuals are accused of offenses including acting as an agent for a foreign government, voluntary manslaughter and sexual offenses.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the citizenship of a naturalized US citizen may be revoked if it was illegally obtained or secured through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.
Among those named are Jinchao Wei, a Chinese national accused of obtaining US citizenship while concealing an espionage scheme, and Ping Li, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to acting as an agent of the Chinese government without prior notification to the US Attorney General.
The Justice Department said the 40 cases involve allegations including immigration and identity fraud, sexual offenses, financial crimes and other violations. The complaints were filed in federal courts across multiple states.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a federal judge in Maryland had blocked US President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, ruling that the measure is likely unconstitutional.