DOJ Files 40 Denaturalization Cases, Largest Push in Modern History

The Department of Justice filed denaturalization cases against 40 foreign-born Americans on October 5, accusing them of lying or omitting facts about criminal records during citizenship applications. Filed between August 21 and October 2, 2026, these cases represent the largest volume submitted in a single period under the Trump administration. The individuals face potential citizenship revocation if courts find fraud or material misrepresentation occurred during naturalization.

What denaturalization means and how it works

Denaturalization is the legal process of revoking U.S. citizenship from a naturalized citizen. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citizenship can be canceled if naturalization was illegally procured or obtained through concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentation. Historically, this tool was used sparingly, often against communists after World War II. The process requires federal prosecutors to prove in court that an applicant lied or concealed critical information when seeking citizenship.

The 40 cases and alleged crimes

The accused individuals are from countries including Mexico, Pakistan, China, Colombia, and Sierra Leone. Alleged offenses include espionage on behalf of China, money laundering, child sexual abuse, visa fraud, tax evasion, voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated: “Every single one of these individuals lied their way into U.S. citizenship.” Most criminal convictions occurred after the defendants took their citizenship oaths, but prosecutors argue they lacked “good moral character” at the time of naturalization and should have been denied citizenship.

A Louisiana case highlights the denaturalization effort

Nachhatar Singh, 68, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, is the subject of the first denaturalization case filed in the Middle District of Louisiana since online case tracking began in the 1980s. Federal prosecutors allege Singh entered the U.S. from India in 1993 under the name Sawaran Singh, was ordered deported in 1996 after missing immigration hearings, then filed paperwork under a different name and date of birth. He obtained citizenship in 2009 using the second identity. The government used fingerprints to link both identities to Singh. Singh owns a gas station in Livingston, which he has operated for 26 years, and declined to comment on the allegations.

Broader denaturalization push and structural changes

The 40 cases are part of a larger effort launched in April 2026. Internal directives within the Department of Homeland Security aimed to identify 384 potential denaturalization candidates and supply the Justice Department 100 to 200 cases per month. To accelerate the process, the administration decentralized denaturalization operations, assigning civil litigators across 39 regional U.S. attorney’s offices to bring complaints in federal court. Earlier waves included 17 cases filed in June 2026. Naturalization approvals have dropped 78 percent between January 2025 and July 2026, while the denial rate for naturalization applications more than doubled from 8.4 percent to 20.1 percent over the same period.

Final Thoughts

The DOJ’s 40-case filing marks a dramatic shift in how federal prosecutors use denaturalization, a once-rare legal tool. The structural expansion across 39 regional offices signals sustained enforcement momentum. For naturalized citizens, the message is clear: material misstatements on citizenship applications face serious legal consequences years after approval.

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