Overview
- Internal guidance issued Tuesday instructs USCIS field offices to refer 100–200 denaturalization cases per month to the Office of Immigration Litigation in fiscal 2026.
- At that rate, referrals could reach roughly 1,200–2,400 annually, compared with just over 120 DOJ denaturalization filings from 2017 to 2025 and an average of about 11 per year from 1990 to 2017.
- A USCIS spokesperson said the agency will pursue proceedings against individuals who lied or misrepresented material facts during the naturalization process.
- Denaturalization can only occur through federal court proceedings and requires clear, convincing evidence of material fraud or other narrow grounds, making cases time‑consuming and difficult to win.
- Former officials and legal experts warn the quotas are likely unworkable, could strain USCIS and DOJ resources, and risk chilling effects on naturalized citizens, even as DOJ has elevated denaturalization as a priority since a June memo.