Has the U.S. government revoked citizenship of dual nationals in recent years and what were the cases?
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Executive summary
The U.S. government has not broadly revoked citizenship of people simply for holding dual nationality, but it has pursued denaturalization of naturalized citizens in recent years for fraud, concealment or criminal conduct; the Department of Justice created a dedicated Denaturalization Section in 2025 and filed multiple denaturalization suits in 2025 [1] [2] [3]. Congress has not changed general law permitting dual nationality, but in December 2025 Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 to eliminate dual citizenship — a proposal now under committee review that, if enacted, would force many dual nationals to choose or be deemed to have relinquished U.S. citizenship [4] [5] [6].
1. What denaturalization is and how it works — law, not politics
Denaturalization is a judicial process that revokes U.S. citizenship granted by naturalization; by statute and precedent it requires a court order and is used when citizenship was “illegally procured” or obtained by concealment or willful misrepresentation, or after certain post‑naturalization conduct in narrow circumstances (8 U.S.C. §1451 and USCIS guidance) [7] [8]. Civil denaturalization actions are filed by the DOJ after USCIS referrals; criminal convictions for naturalization fraud also can lead to automatic loss of citizenship [9] [10].
2. Recent government activity: units, memos and lawsuits
The Justice Department reorganized and prioritized denaturalization in 2025: it created a Denaturalization Section in February 2025 and subsequently filed multiple denaturalization suits that year, including cases announced in September and December 2025 targeting individuals alleged to have procured citizenship by fraud or concealment [1] [2] [3]. DOJ internal guidance in mid‑2025 instructed attorneys to prioritize denaturalization categories including national security threats and fraud, and reports show an uptick in filings compared with recent administrations [11] [12].
3. Who has actually lost citizenship recently — what sources show
Available sources document specific denaturalization suits filed by DOJ in 2025 — for example complaints announced in September and December 2025 — but they do not list a sweeping program of revoking citizenship merely for dual nationality [2] [3]. Reporters and legal trackers show increased filings and activity, yet the number of people actually stripped of citizenship remains small relative to the millions of naturalized Americans; the government must prove fraud or unlawful procurement in court [9] [11].
4. Dual citizenship vs. denaturalization — distinct legal tracks
U.S. law currently does not ban holding multiple nationalities and does not require people to choose one allegiance under ordinary circumstances; the State Department explicitly states U.S. law “does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another” [13]. Denaturalization targets naturalization procured improperly or certain post‑naturalization conduct; it is not the normal mechanism to punish mere dual nationality [9] [13].
5. Political flashpoint: the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025
Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 on Dec. 1, 2025, a sweeping proposal to prohibit simultaneous U.S. and foreign citizenship and to deem noncompliance as voluntary relinquishment of U.S. citizenship, with a one‑year cure window; the bill is before the Senate Judiciary Committee and faces constitutional and practical challenges [4] [5] [6]. Analysts and advocacy groups warn the proposal would clash with long‑standing Supreme Court precedent protecting citizenship and create implementation problems for “accidental” dual nationals and people from countries that do not permit renunciation [6] [14] [15].
6. Numbers, trends and context — activity increased but still limited
Scholars tracking filings note substantial variation across administrations: denaturalization filings increased during the first Trump administration and rose again after policy shifts in 2025; trackers reported hundreds of filings during earlier Trump years and fewer under Biden, with DOJ’s mid‑2025 memo prompting renewed emphasis [12] [11]. The Department has legal tools and renewed political will to pursue more denaturalizations, but courts remain the gatekeepers and the absolute number of finalized citizenship revocations remains small compared with the 24.5 million naturalized Americans cited by advocates [9].
7. Competing viewpoints, legal limits and hidden agendas
Supporters of aggressive denaturalization frame it as protecting national security and citizenship integrity; the DOJ’s new unit and memos reflect that agenda [1] [11]. Civil‑liberties groups, immigration lawyers and some legal scholars warn the approach risks wrongful revocations, especially for “accidental Americans,” and emphasize constitutional limits—Afroyim and related case law constrain involuntary loss of birthright citizenship and court processes constrain denaturalization [6] [9]. The Moreno bill’s timing and rhetoric also carry partisan signaling about loyalty and immigration politics not addressed by statute alone [4] [5].
Limitations: sources provided do not list every individual denaturalization decision or final court outcomes; they document DOJ filings, policy changes, and a major legislative proposal but do not supply a comprehensive case list of all people whose citizenship was revoked. Available sources do not mention a mass revocation of citizenship solely for holding dual nationality [1] [4] [13].