The Department of Justice has launched an extensive denaturalization initiative aimed at revoking the U.S. citizenship of 40 individuals accused of various crimes, marking what officials describe as the largest such effort in recent history. The cases, announced in early October, involve people from diverse backgrounds and span a wide range of alleged offenses.
Attorney General Todd Blanche characterized the crackdown as a significant step in addressing individuals who obtained citizenship through fraudulent means or concealed serious criminal activity. “From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders,” he said.
The individuals targeted in the latest wave of denaturalizations include people convicted of aggravated sodomy, transportation of child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor, and espionage-related offenses. However, not all cases stem from violent crimes; nearly half of the subjects face denaturalization related to alleged falsehoods on visa or naturalization paperwork.
The Department of Homeland Security provided a list showing that the 40 individuals originate from various countries, with the largest contingent—11 people—from Mexico. Their ages range from 26 to 76 years old. The cases cover denaturalization proceedings initiated between August 21 and October 2.
This surge represents the most significant number of denaturalization attempts recorded over a comparable time span, exceeding the total number from previous years combined, according to data compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC). Researchers noted that denaturalization, once uncommon in federal courts, has been increasing in frequency over recent years and this trend is expected to continue. Historically, an average of 11 denaturalization cases were opened annually between 1990 and 2017.
Among those facing denaturalization is 26-year-old Jinchao Wei of China, convicted of selling military secrets. At the other end of the age spectrum is 76-year-old Raul Cisneros of Mexico, who pleaded guilty in California to committing “lewd and lascivious acts on a minor” and is accused of lying about his criminal record during the naturalization process.
Not all individuals targeted have criminal convictions. Walid Osman, a 62-year-old Egyptian native, is among those subject to denaturalization solely due to alleged misrepresentations on immigration forms. Osman’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, challenged the accusations, stating the case contains “errors and speculation” and that Osman has no criminal record. “He’s a U.S. citizen, and we’re going to fight to keep it that way,” the lawyer said. Osman is reportedly not in custody.
The Department of Homeland Security deferred questions about the cases to the Department of Justice, identifying DOJ as the lead agency handling denaturalizations. Efforts to obtain additional DOJ comment remained ongoing.