Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has intensified his immigration crackdown, raising questions about the citizenship status of some foreign-born Americans. His focus on denaturalization—revoking citizenship from individuals who became naturalized U.S. citizens—has prompted widespread concern among legal experts and civil rights advocates.
Minnesota has emerged as a focal point for Trump’s efforts, with the President citing fraud investigations involving government-funded programs. Trump has repeatedly singled out the state’s Somali community, linking some individuals’ criminal convictions to broader allegations that the community “destroys” the state. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Trump said, “I would do it in a heartbeat if they were dishonest. I think that many of the people that came in from Somalia, they hate our country.” He did not specify which groups might be targeted or what actions would meet the threshold for denaturalization.
This is not the first time Trump or his administration has referenced stripping citizenship. In December, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that people of Somali descent convicted in fraud cases could have their citizenship revoked. The President has also previously targeted individuals, including Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and New York-born comedian Rosie O’Donnell, with threats of denaturalization, though legal mechanisms for removing citizenship from U.S.-born individuals are highly limited.
Reports obtained by the New York Times show that internal documents sent to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices set monthly targets of 100–200 denaturalization cases in 2026. The quota represents a sharp increase compared with historical figures: between 1990 and 2017, 305 cases were filed, averaging 11 per year. During Trump’s first term, that number rose to 42 annually.
Trump’s policies have also affected immigration programs, including the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis in Minnesota and expanded reviews of green card entries from multiple countries, citing security concerns after violent incidents involving foreign nationals.
Legal experts note that naturalized U.S. citizens can only have their citizenship revoked under specific circumstances. USCIS guidance states that denaturalization may occur if citizenship was obtained through deliberate misrepresentation, illegal means, or affiliation with terrorist or totalitarian organizations within five years of naturalization. Cases must meet legal thresholds and are referred to the Justice Department for review, which maintains that there is no statute of limitations for denaturalization.
Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts condemned the reported denaturalization push, calling it “xenophobia disguised as policy” and emphasizing that all Americans, regardless of birthplace, deserve constitutional protections.
Trump’s statements and administrative directives mark a potential escalation of U.S. immigration enforcement, raising both legal and ethical questions about the scope of presidential authority over citizenship and the treatment of naturalized Americans.
