Key facts
- The U.S. Justice Department is initiating lawsuits to revoke citizenship from 17 naturalized individuals.
- The individuals are accused of serious crimes such as sex offenses, fraud, and drug sales.
- The department alleges that some individuals obtained citizenship through fraud or by concealing past offenses.
- One case involves a Chinese-born individual in Georgia accused of hiding a deportation order and immigration history.
The U.S. Justice Department announced on Monday that it has filed lawsuits against 17 naturalized individuals, seeking to revoke their citizenship. The department alleges these individuals obtained citizenship through fraud or by concealing serious crimes, including sex offenses, fraud, and illicit drug sales. This action is part of an intensified effort by the Trump administration to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans. Among those targeted is a Chinese-born resident of Georgia who prosecutors claim hid a prior deportation order and immigration history under a different identity before becoming a U.S. citizen in 2006.