An article summarized by The Hill:
The Department of Justice announced it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalized Americans accused of serious crimes, calling it one of the largest denaturalization efforts in decades. Federal prosecutors have filed cases in courts across the country, targeting individuals alleged to have committed offenses such as drug trafficking, health care fraud, money laundering, sexual abuse of a minor, or fraud during the naturalization process.
Administration officials argue that U.S. citizenship is a privilege that can be revoked if it was obtained dishonestly. The cases rely on provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the government to strip citizenship from naturalized citizens who are found to have committed fraud or concealed key information during the immigration process. Among those targeted are a woman convicted in a $36 million health care fraud scheme and the daughter of a Colombian drug trafficker accused of financial crimes.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy. Historically, denaturalization has been relatively rare, with the government averaging about 11 cases per year between 1990 and 2017. However, the administration has significantly expanded its use of the tool, having already announced similar actions against a dozen naturalized citizens last month.
