Archive · 6 Oct 2026
US Seeks to Revoke Citizenship of 40 Naturalised Americans
The US Justice Department is asking courts to take citizenship away from 40 people.
It says they may have hidden important facts or used false information to become citizens.
The allegations include espionage, sexual offences, fraud, and false marriages.
Some cases involve conduct that allegedly happened years before the people became citizens.
Two named people had cases involving alleged work for the Chinese government.
One was convicted of espionage-related offences, and the other pleaded guilty to acting as an undeclared agent.
The department says these filings are its largest denaturalisation push in one period under the Trump administration.
The people’s citizenship will not be taken away just because the cases were filed.
Federal judges must consider the cases and the allegations must be established in court.
The Justice Department filed denaturalisation cases against 40 naturalised Americans in federal courts.
The complaints were filed between August 21 and October 2, and the department called the period’s filings its largest such push under the Trump administration.
The cases allege people concealed crimes or used false identities, misleading information, or fraudulent marriages to obtain citizenship.
Among those named are Jinchao Wei, convicted of espionage-related offences, and Ping Li, who pleaded guilty to acting as an undeclared agent of China.
The cases are civil actions, and the allegations must be established in court before judges can revoke citizenship.
- Who
- The US Justice Department is seeking to revoke the citizenship of 40 naturalised Americans.
- What
- It filed civil denaturalisation complaints alleging that the individuals obtained citizenship through deception.
- When
- The complaints were filed between August 21 and October 2; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- Federal courts across several states, including California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Georgia and Maryland, and in the District of Columbia.
- Why
- The department alleges that the individuals concealed crimes or provided false or misleading information during immigration or naturalisation proceedings.
- People named in cases
- 40 naturalised Americans
- Filing period
- August 21 to October 2; year not stated in the article
- Type of action
- Civil denaturalisation complaints
- Alleged conduct
- Includes espionage, sexual offences, identity and immigration fraud, tax fraud, and marriage fraud
- Courts
- Federal courts across multiple states and the District of Columbia
- Legal status
- The allegations must be established in court
- Department's characterization
- The Justice Department called the filings its largest denaturalisation push in a single period under the Trump administration