The Department of Justice has confirmed that it plans to revoke the citizenship of 384 naturalized American citizens.

Citing an anonymous source, The New York Times reported that senior Justice Department officials informed their colleagues in a meeting last week that civil prosecutors in 39 federal districts would soon be assigned to file lawsuits against these individuals.

On Thursday, The New York Times reported that two other individuals familiar with the plan confirmed it, but did not clarify why the authorities targeted these 384 individuals, according to Newsmax.

Under federal law, the government can attempt to revoke the citizenship of individuals who obtained it through fraud, such as by concealing information about their ineligibility.

Certain criminal convictions can also lead to denaturalization. The process is complex and time-consuming, as the government must present its evidence in federal court.

Traditionally, denaturalization cases have been handled by specialists within the Justice Department's Immigrant Litigation Unit.

However, the decision to assign the task more broadly to national civil divisions means that the number of cases, which have historically been rare, could increase dramatically.

Matthew Tragesser, a Justice Department spokesperson, stated that officials are receiving "an unprecedented number of denaturalization referrals from Homeland Security."

"The Department of Justice is committed to rooting out criminal aliens who abuse our immigration system and the naturalization process," Tragesser said.

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said, "Citizenship fraud is a serious crime. Anyone who breaks the law and obtains citizenship through fraud and deception will be held accountable."

Cases of denaturalization have been relatively rare in recent decades.

From 1990 to 2017, the government filed 305 lawsuits, averaging about 11 per year. From 2017 to the end of last year, authorities attempted to denaturalize more than 120 individuals.

Francey Hakes, the interim director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, described the 384 denaturalization lawsuits as a "first wave" and said the effort is based on existing federal law, not a new initiative by the White House.

The civil divisions of federal prosecutors' offices typically focus on cases such as health care fraud, civil enforcement, and asset forfeiture. Expanding their role to include denaturalization cases could divert resources from these priorities.

The Trump administration had already initiated proceedings against several individuals, including a Ghanaian Marine convicted in a military court, an Argentinian man accused of misrepresenting his nationality, and a Nigerian convicted of tax evasion.

Some critics note that this action brings to mind periods in American history when denaturalization was used more broadly.

Naturalized citizens undergo extensive screening, including background checks, biometric testing, and citizenship and language exams. More than 818,000 immigrants became U.S. citizens in 2024, Newsmax added.

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter, NNP USA / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com