The Department of Justice announced Monday that it has filed denaturalization actions against 40 naturalized U.S. citizens accused of serious offenses including espionage, child sexual abuse, fraud, and tax evasion.

Attorney General Todd Blanche called the filings, submitted between August 21 and October 2 in federal courts across the country, the largest denaturalization effort in modern history. "Today's announcement marks the largest denaturalization effort in modern history," Blanche said. "From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders."

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Civil Division added that every one of the individuals "lied their way into U.S. citizenship." The actions target people who allegedly hid disqualifying conduct, such as crimes committed before naturalization, when applying for citizenship.

Among the cases is that of Jinchao Wei, a China-born former Navy sailor convicted of conspiring to sell military secrets to China before becoming a citizen in 2022. He received a 200-month prison sentence. Other targets include individuals from Mexico, Pakistan, China, and Sierra Leone, with accusations ranging from voluntary manslaughter and aggravated sodomy to immigration fraud and identity theft.

This batch builds on prior efforts. The administration previously highlighted 25 cases in August as the largest coordinated push at the time. Data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse indicates at least 105 denaturalization lawsuits filed in the first seven months of 2026 alone, exceeding totals from earlier periods.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citizenship can be revoked if procured illegally or through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. The DOJ has prioritized these cases to protect national security and the integrity of the naturalization process.