DOJ Files 40 Denaturalization Cases in Largest Trump-Era Batch
The Justice Department has filed 40 civil lawsuits seeking to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans, marking the administration's largest single-period enforcement push on denaturalization.
The Justice Department filed 40 civil denaturalization actions between August 21 and October 2, 2026, across 19 federal districts. This batch represents the largest single-period number of such filings under the Trump administration, targeting naturalized citizens authorities allege obtained citizenship improperly.
Forty naturalized U.S. citizens are now subject to proceedings that seek to cancel their certificates of naturalization. The initiative is described by authorities as the largest such effort over a single period during this administration. In June 2025, the Justice Department’s Civil Division instructed attorneys to prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings where the law permits and evidence supports them.
Scope of allegations
The allegations span a wide range of serious misconduct. They include espionage, money laundering, sexual crimes against minors, false identities, hidden deportation orders, marriage fraud, and failure to disclose prior convictions or sexual abuse. Defendants come from roughly 20 countries, including China, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Afghanistan, and India.
Some allegations involve acting as an agent for a foreign government. Other cited offenses include voluntary manslaughter and aggravated sodomy against a special-needs man. The complaints focus on material concealment or misrepresentation during the naturalization process.
Key individual cases
Specific cases highlight the breadth of the government's claims. Jinchao Wei, a former Chinese-born U.S. Navy sailor, was convicted in August 2025 of espionage and unlawfully exporting defense-related technical data. The government alleges he began conspiring to sell military secrets before becoming a citizen in May 2022 and hid that conduct.
Ping Li pleaded guilty in 2024 to acting as an agent of the Chinese government without notifying the Attorney General. Authorities allege Li obtained information about Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy activists, and U.S.-based organizations.
Four of the 40 cases were filed in federal courts in Texas. One targets Dibya Bhattarai, 40, a native of Nepal. Her complaint was filed in the Northern District of Texas on September 25. She naturalized in September 2008 after claiming she had not committed any crime for which she had not been arrested. In March 2016, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with immigration documents, a conspiracy that allegedly began in June 2007.
Three other Texas complaints were filed in the Southern District. They include cases against Gume Roberto Garza, 59, a native of Mexico accused of using another person’s identity and concealing drug arrests, and Syed Furqan Ali, 74, a native of Pakistan. Ali is accused of seeking naturalization through marriage to a U.S. citizen while still married to his first wife and fabricating a divorce. His complaint was filed September 28.
Legal framework and process
The government brings these actions under INA § 340, which allows citizenship to be canceled if it was illegally procured or gained through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. Filing a complaint does not automatically revoke citizenship. The government must persuade a federal court in each individual case.
Defendants retain the right to contest the evidence and arguments. The outcome depends on whether the alleged false statement or omission was material and affected eligibility for naturalization. These civil cases remain distinct from any prior criminal convictions or guilty pleas. The DOJ cautioned that the claims in the 40 new complaints are allegations, and courts have not made determinations of liability.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that those involved 'concealed critical facts from the US government and represent serious criminal offenders'. The process does not target people who acquired citizenship by birth in the United States. Federal courts will now review the evidence in each of the 40 cases to determine whether citizenship will be revoked.
