The Justice Department is coming after 17 naturalized U.S. citizens who allegedly lied their way through the citizenship process to hide some of the most disturbing crimes imaginable. The announcement, made on Monday, June 9, 2025, marks what officials are calling the largest-ever denaturalization push in U.S. history. The individuals come from 13 countries and range in age from 39 to 69 years old.
What the DOJ Is Alleging
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, each person is accused of concealing serious criminal conduct during their naturalization interviews. Under federal law, applicants must demonstrate “good moral character” to become U.S. citizens. Officials say these individuals failed that requirement by lying under oath. The complaints were filed in federal district courts across the country.
The alleged crimes range from child sexual abuse to large-scale financial fraud to narcotics trafficking. Six of the 17 individuals, roughly 35 percent, face accusations tied to child sex crimes. Those crimes include statutory rape and the possession of explicit images involving minors. One of the accused is a Roman Catholic priest who allegedly used his position of trust to groom and abuse a child.
Millions in Fraud, Cartel Ties, and Stolen Casino Money
The financial crimes in this case are staggering in scale. One individual allegedly carried out a $54 million securities and wire fraud scheme. Another is accused of billing Blue Cross Blue Shield $36.7 million through fake physical therapy clinics that never existed. A third defendant allegedly funneled money from a Colombian drug cartel into real estate deals in the United States.
In yet another case, an individual stands accused of stealing millions of dollars from a Florida tribal casino. Officials say these are not minor infractions or paperwork errors. These are serious crimes that were deliberately buried during the citizenship application process.
False Identities and Decades of Deception
Some of the accused went to extraordinary lengths to hide their true identities. Four individuals allegedly used fake names, lied about their marital status, or applied for citizenship multiple times under entirely different identities after previous denials. One woman reportedly assumed a false name after her first application was rejected in 1995. She was only identified decades later after the government digitized old paper fingerprint records that linked her current identity to her original, rejected application.
Others concealed prior removal orders, immigration violations, or entire criminal histories. According to the DOJ, many of these individuals were asked directly, under oath, whether they had ever committed a crime for which they had not been arrested. Authorities say most of them lied.
Where the 17 Individuals Are From
The accused originate from 13 countries across four continents. Nine are from the Caribbean and North America, including Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico. Two are from Colombia in South America. Three are from Asia, specifically India, China, and the Philippines. Two are from Africa, from Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. One is from the former Yugoslavia in Europe.
What Officials Are Saying
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a forceful statement alongside the announcement. “When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences,” Blanche said. “Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters. Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin also weighed in. “American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly,” Mullin said. “If you come here, break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege.”
How Rare Is This Kind of Action?
Denaturalization cases have historically been uncommon in the United States. According to CBS News, between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed an average of just 11 denaturalization complaints per year. The Trump administration has now dramatically accelerated that pace. Last month, the DOJ announced efforts to denaturalize a separate group of 12 foreign-born citizens as part of the same broader campaign.
Officials stressed that the allegations in these complaints remain unproven at this stage. The cases are civil, not criminal, and no final determination of liability has been made. If the government succeeds in court, however, the individuals could lose their U.S. citizenship entirely and face deportation depending on their current immigration status and criminal history.
What Comes Next
Each case will now move through the federal court system. Defendants will have the opportunity to contest the government’s claims. Legal experts note that denaturalization is a high legal bar and the government must prove fraud or willful misrepresentation by clear and convincing evidence. The outcome of these cases could set a significant legal precedent for how far the Trump administration can push its denaturalization agenda going forward.