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The government of President Donald Trump plans to significantly intensify the processes to strip naturalized immigrants of their U.S. citizenship, according to an internal document from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) obtained by The New York Times.
The information points to a drastic shift in the use of denaturalization, a legal tool that has historically been exceptional and rarely used.
According to the report from the New York newspaper, USCIS has instructed its regional offices to file between 100 and 200 denaturalization cases per month during fiscal year 2026.
This figure strikingly contrasts with the historical average of only 11 cases per year from 1990 to 2017.
The goal is to strengthen what the administration refers to as a "war on fraud" in the immigration system, focusing on individuals who allegedly obtained citizenship illegally.
A spokesperson for USCIS confirmed to the media that this is not a secret policy and that the agency is prioritizing cases of fraudulently acquired citizenship, especially during the previous administration.
However, the internal document cited by The New York Times does not clearly outline what specific criteria will be used to determine which cases constitute fraud, raising concerns among experts and former officials.
Under current U.S. law, naturalized citizenship can be revoked if it is proven that it was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation of material facts during the naturalization process.
However, this mechanism has traditionally been reserved for extreme situations, such as war crimes or serious and fully documented fraud. The new approach of the Trump administration represents, according to analysts, an unprecedented expansion of this practice.
Trump himself has publicly expressed his interest in revoking citizenship from naturalized individuals on multiple occasions.
In early December, he stated before reporters that there are "criminals who entered our country and became naturalized," suggesting that this occurred during Joe Biden's administration, although he did not provide any concrete evidence.
"If I had the power to do it -I'm not sure I have it, but if I did- I would revoke their nationality, without a doubt," he said then.
The imposition of monthly quotas for denaturalization cases has raised concerns among former USCIS officials.
Sarah Pierce, a former agency official, warned The New York Times that setting arbitrary numerical targets risks politicizing the revocation of citizenship.
As explained, demanding monthly figures that multiply the historical annual average by ten turns an exceptional legal tool into a routine instrument, creating fear and uncertainty among millions of naturalized Americans.
This measure is part of a broader immigration strategy promoted by Trump since his return to power, which includes expanded travel bans, freezing of visa and residency applications, and a general tightening of the immigration system.
At the end of November, the president announced a package of radical policies that include the revocation of citizenship for naturalized immigrants who, in his words, "undermine national tranquility" or "are not a net positive for the country."
In a message shared by the official White House account on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Trump stated that his administration will "denaturalize" those who represent a threat to national security and will deport foreigners he considers a public charge.
He also promised to permanently suspend migration from what he termed "Third World countries" and restrict access to federal benefits for non-citizens.
The policies have already had visible consequences.
Last week, in Boston, several citizenship oath ceremonies were canceled for immigrants from countries classified as "high-risk," including Cuba, Venezuela, and Haiti.
According to reports, USCIS officials set applicants apart based on their country of origin and suspended their cases without providing clear explanations.
The suspension, confirmed by immigrant advocacy organizations, has national implications.
Human rights organizations and democratic leaders have strongly criticized these measures, warning that they could violate the Constitution and the Fourteenth Amendment, which protects the citizenship of naturalized individuals.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration defends its "Zero Migration" program as a means to strengthen national security and "restore American identity."
In this context, the plan to impose quotas for denaturalization marks a new chapter in the immigration policy of the United States, with deep implications for millions of naturalized citizens who now face a scenario of increased scrutiny and uncertainty regarding their legal status.
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