Overview
- DHS confirmed it is reviewing immigration and naturalization files from 19 countries, including Somalia, to assess whether fraud could justify denaturalization.
- HHS has frozen certain child-care payments to Minnesota, citing alleged daycare fraud spanning years.
- Federal prosecutors say the inquiry now covers 14 Medicaid-funded programs with about $18 billion billed since 2018 and a preliminary assessment that half or more could be fraudulent.
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is not afraid to use denaturalization, and President Trump tied the scandal to Somali immigrants in a social media post.
- Attorneys and scholars note denaturalization is rare, requires court orders and clear, convincing evidence, and is likely to face significant legal challenges.