— The Trump administration is seeking to revoke the U.S. citizenship of 40 naturalized Americans, launching what the Justice Department describes as the largest group of denaturalization cases filed during a single period under the administration.
The Justice Department said Monday that the civil cases were filed in federal courts across the United States between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2. The government alleges the individuals illegally obtained citizenship or concealed or misrepresented important information during the naturalization process.
The cases do not mean the 40 people have already lost their citizenship. Federal courts must determine whether the government has established legal grounds to revoke their naturalization.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citizenship obtained through naturalization can be revoked if a court determines it was illegally obtained or secured through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.
The Justice Department said the cases involve allegations ranging from immigration and identity fraud to serious criminal conduct.
Among those targeted is Jinchao Wei, a China-born former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of espionage-related offenses. The department alleges Wei began conspiring to sell military secrets to China before becoming a U.S. citizen in May 2022 and concealed that conduct during the naturalization process. He was convicted in 2025 and sentenced to 200 months in prison.
Another case involves Ping Li, a China-born naturalized citizen who pleaded guilty in 2024 to acting as an agent of the Chinese government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. Other cases involve allegations of marriage fraud, false identities, concealed criminal activity and sexual offenses committed before naturalization.
The complaints were filed in federal districts across several states, including California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
The Justice Department said the filings represent the largest number of denaturalization complaints submitted during a single period under the Trump administration.
The department stressed that the claims contained in the civil complaints are allegations and that no determination of liability has been made.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Trump Administration Moves to Strip 40 Naturalized Americans of Citizenship.