The U.S. Justice Department filed denaturalisation cases on June 8, 2026, against 17 naturalised citizens accused of immigration fraud, concealment of crimes, and serious offenses including child sexual abuse and large-scale financial fraud [1, 2, 3].

The individuals targeted include those convicted or accused of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, attempted sexual battery of a child, conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs without a license, and child sexual abuse by a former Catholic priest [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 7]. Some used fraudulent identities or submitted false documents, such as falsified H-1B visa petitions, to obtain citizenship [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3].

The group represents 13 countries, including Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, India, Jamaica, Cuba, former Yugoslavia, the Philippines, Somalia, and China [2, 3, 7]. Their ages range from 39 to 69 years old [7].

Denaturalisation is a rare and complex legal process requiring the government to prove fraud or concealment during naturalisation in federal court [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3]. Between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department averaged around 11 cases per year; this latest action marks the largest single filing in the office’s history [2, 4, 5, 6, 3]. The department expanded denaturalisation priorities in 2025 to cover a broader category of eligibility fraud [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3].

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department has a zero-tolerance policy: "Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters" [3]. He added, "Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process" [7].

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin emphasized that "American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. We will continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalise and remove aliens" [1]. He also noted, "If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege" [7].

The fraud offenses include multi-million-dollar securities and wire fraud schemes [7]. Those targeted may challenge the government’s claims in federal court but face loss of citizenship, legal rights, and deportation risks if unsuccessful [2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 7].

This follows a May 2026 DOJ action seeking denaturalisation of 12 other immigrants in a similar crackdown [1, 3].