Denaturalization actions have been filed against 40 naturalized U.S. citizens accused of hiding serious crimes, using fraudulent identities, committing immigration fraud or otherwise obtaining citizenship unlawfully.
The Department of Justice said the denaturalization complaints were filed in multiple federal district courts between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2, 2026.
USCIS said the cases represent the largest number of denaturalization filings made during a single period under the Trump administration.
The Justice Department announced the denaturalization actions on Oct. 5, while USCIS published its related notice on Oct. 13.
The denaturalization cases do not mean that citizenship has already been revoked.
Each complaint contains allegations that must be resolved through federal court proceedings.
Table of Contents
Why the federal government filed the denaturalization cases
Federal prosecutors allege that the defendants became naturalized citizens after concealing material facts or making false statements during immigration and naturalization proceedings.
The allegations cover a wide range of conduct, including identity fraud, marriage fraud, visa fraud, undisclosed criminal activity, false claims to U.S. citizenship, tax offenses and espionage-related crimes.
Several defendants allegedly committed crimes before naturalizing and then failed to disclose those acts on Form N-400 or during a citizenship interview.
Other cases involve people who allegedly used different names, false documents or fabricated family histories to obtain lawful permanent residence before applying for citizenship.
One case involves a naturalized citizen accused of acting as an agent of the Chinese government without notifying the attorney general.
Another involves a former U.S. Navy member accused of concealing an espionage scheme while obtaining citizenship through military service.
The Justice Department said the denaturalization actions were filed in 19 federal judicial districts across the country.
Examples from the 40 denaturalization cases
The filings include denaturalization cases involving alleged fraud during naturalization, as well as allegations that earlier immigration benefits were obtained unlawfully.
Yusmary Shirley Duran Mejia, a Colombian national, is accused of concealing her involvement in a money-laundering conspiracy during her naturalization process.
According to the government, she entered the United States in 2007, became a citizen in 2018 and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that her criminal conduct began before naturalization and that she gave false answers during the citizenship process.
Gume Roberto Garza, a Mexican national, is accused of using another person’s name, Social Security number and date of birth while obtaining immigration benefits.
The complaint alleges that he concealed his aliases and criminal history when he applied for naturalization.
Several denaturalization cases involve alleged sexual offenses that the defendants supposedly failed to disclose before becoming citizens.
Those cases include allegations involving sexual abuse of minors, sexual battery and aggravated sodomy.
Because the complaints are civil denaturalization actions, the allegations in those filings remain subject to judicial review.
The cases also include allegations of fraudulent marriages and fabricated divorce or death records used to obtain immigration benefits.
In one case, prosecutors allege that Ahmed Khan obtained permanent residence through a bigamous marriage after using a false death certificate for his Pakistani wife.
In another, Syed Furqan Ali is accused of fabricating information about a prior marriage and divorce while seeking immigration benefits and later citizenship.
The government also accuses several defendants of using false identities to evade removal orders or obtain lawful permanent residence.
Those allegations include the use of fraudulent passports, stolen birth certificates, false Cuban identities and undisclosed prior deportation proceedings.
Espionage and foreign-agent allegations in the denaturalization filings
The filing involving Jinchao Wei concerns citizenship obtained through a military naturalization pathway.
According to the government, Wei joined the U.S. Navy in 2021 and became a citizen in May 2022.
Prosecutors allege that he had begun conspiring to sell military information to China before naturalizing.
Wei was later convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage and unlawful export of technical defense data, according to the government’s account.
He was sentenced to 200 months in prison and discharged from the Navy.
Another complaint concerns Ping Li, who is accused of acting for China’s Ministry of State Security without notifying the attorney general.
The government alleges that Li gathered information about Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy advocates, Falun Gong members and U.S.-based organizations.
Li pleaded guilty in August 2024 to acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, according to the Justice Department.
How denaturalization works
Under federal law, the government may seek denaturalization when citizenship was illegally obtained or procured through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.
The government generally files a denaturalization complaint in federal district court where the naturalized citizen resides.
The defendant may respond to the complaint and contest the government’s allegations.
A court must then decide whether the legal grounds for denaturalization have been established.
If a court grants the government’s request, the naturalization order may be revoked and the certificate of naturalization canceled.
The law provides that denaturalization based on unlawful procurement, concealment or willful misrepresentation operates from the original date of naturalization.
That means the court may treat the citizenship as invalid from the beginning rather than as a status ending only on the date of the judgment.
Loss of citizenship can expose a person to additional immigration consequences, including removal proceedings, depending on the facts of the case.
The practical consequences may also affect the person’s ability to use a U.S. passport, claim citizenship-based benefits or sponsor relatives through immigration channels.
Those consequences depend on the final court ruling and the individual’s immigration history.
What the denaturalization filings do not establish
The announcements do not establish that all 40 defendants are legally responsible for the conduct alleged in the complaints.
The Justice Department expressly described the claims as allegations and said there had been no final determination of liability.
A denaturalization complaint is the beginning of a court case rather than a final order stripping citizenship.
The government must prove the applicable legal grounds in each individual case.
The defendants may raise factual, legal or procedural challenges during the litigation.
The outcome may differ from one case to another because the complaints involve different types of alleged misconduct and different immigration histories.
What affected naturalized citizens should know about denaturalization
A person who receives a denaturalization complaint should not ignore it.
Federal court deadlines may apply, and failing to respond can limit the person’s ability to present a defense.
People facing such a denaturalization action should seek advice from a licensed immigration attorney who handles federal litigation and citizenship cases.
Individuals should preserve naturalization records, prior immigration filings, criminal court documents, identity documents and communications from the government.
Anyone concerned about a past mistake on a naturalization application should obtain individualized legal advice before contacting an agency or filing a new immigration form.
The 40 denaturalization cases announced by USCIS and the Justice Department will proceed separately through the federal courts.
Future court rulings in the denaturalization litigation will determine whether the government’s allegations are sufficient to revoke citizenship in any particular case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the U.S. government already revoked the citizenship of the 40 people named in the cases?
No. The government has filed denaturalization actions, but the allegations must be resolved in federal court before citizenship can be revoked.
Why can naturalized citizenship be revoked?
Federal law permits revocation when naturalization was illegally obtained or resulted from concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.
What should someone do after receiving a denaturalization complaint?
The person should review the court documents immediately and consult a licensed immigration attorney experienced in federal denaturalization litigation.
Do the cases involve only criminal convictions?
No. The filings include allegations involving criminal conduct, identity fraud, marriage fraud, visa fraud, false testimony, tax offenses and foreign-agent or espionage activity.
Fact-Checked: Key filing dates, the total of 40 cases, the allegations described, the court process and the governing denaturalization statute were checked against USCIS, the Justice Department and the U.S. Code. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-moves-strip-citizenship-40-criminals-largest-single-period?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: This article summarizes government allegations and general legal procedures. It is not legal advice and does not determine the outcome of any case.
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