Denaturalization, the legal process to revoke a naturalized person’s citizenship, is back in the news. At Campos Law Firm, we closely monitor developments in U.S. immigration policy to protect our clients’ rights and future. On October 21, 2026, the Justice Department announced that federal courts in California and Florida had revoked the citizenship of two naturalized Americans who, according to the government, concealed criminal conduct during their naturalization process.
The news raises an immediate question for the millions of naturalized citizens in this country: can my citizenship be taken away? It is possible, but only on specific grounds, through a court proceeding, and with the government required to prove its case. Below, we explain what is known, what is not, and what you can do.
What happened in California and Florida?
The first case involves Vivian Chike Obichere, a native of Nigeria. According to the Justice Department, in 1992 she obtained a U.S. passport using a U.S. citizen’s identity; she later became a lawful permanent resident under her real name in 2003 and naturalized in 2013, after testifying under oath that she had never used that other identity. In 2015 she was convicted of making a false statement in a passport application, and on October 13, 2026, a court in the Northern District of California revoked her naturalization.
The second case involves Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres, a native of Cuba. The government alleges that, before naturalizing in 2015, she took part in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a fraud against a Florida casino, and that at her citizenship interview she stated she had never committed a crime for which she had not been arrested. She was convicted in 2020 of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and on October 14, 2026, a court in the Southern District of Florida revoked her citizenship.
Both cases ended in consent judgments: there was no trial. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Civil Division stated that “securing denaturalization is the final step to strip citizenship from those who conceal crimes or defraud the American people,” adding that the administration “will continue its historic denaturalization campaign.”
On what grounds can citizenship be revoked?
Federal law (8 U.S.C. 1451, section 340 of the Immigration and Nationality Act) allows a naturalization to be revoked in two situations: when citizenship was illegally procured, meaning some requirement was never actually met, or when it was obtained by concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation during the process.
“Material” is the key word. Not every mistake on a form opens the door to denaturalization: the government must show that the omitted fact mattered to USCIS’s decision, such as a crime that would have prevented a finding of good moral character. In 2017, the Supreme Court (Maslenjak v. United States) confirmed, for criminal cases, that the lie must have played a role in obtaining citizenship.
A Civil Division memo dated June 11, 2025, set the priorities of this campaign: national security, war crimes, gangs, serious crimes not disclosed during the process, and fraud. According to TRAC data cited by Newsweek, at least 105 civil denaturalization lawsuits were filed between January and July 2026, compared with about 125 in the entire 2008-2025 period.
How does the process work: civil or criminal?
There are two paths, and the difference matters:
- Civil denaturalization (8 U.S.C. 1451(a)): the Justice Department files a lawsuit in federal court. There is no jury, no statute of limitations, and no right to court-appointed counsel. The government must prove its case with “clear, convincing, and unequivocal” evidence, a high standard, though lower than the criminal one.
- Criminal denaturalization (18 U.S.C. 1425): the person is prosecuted for unlawfully procuring citizenship; if convicted, revocation follows from the sentence. Here the presumption of innocence and proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” apply.
In neither path is citizenship lost through a USCIS letter: a court order is required, and the person can defend themselves, present evidence, and appeal. Someone who loses citizenship generally returns to their prior status; if the concealed crime makes them deportable, DHS may begin removal proceedings in Immigration Court.
Do not confuse scenarios: a conviction for a crime committed after taking the oath is not a ground for denaturalization, and neither is a good-faith error in a date or an address. What the government is pursuing, according to its memo, is fraud and the concealment of serious conduct that predates the oath.
What can you do if you are worried about your case?
- Review your naturalization file: if you had a record or an open case when you naturalized, or doubts about any answer on your N-400, discuss it with an attorney before the government does. You can request a copy of your file from USCIS through a FOIA request.
- If you receive a civil complaint or a summons: do not ignore it or respond on your own; deadlines are short, and a default judgment means losing without a defense.
- If federal agents contact you: you have the right to remain silent and to a lawyer. Our immigration attorneys and criminal defense attorneys work together on these cases.
- If you are a naturalized citizen with nothing to hide: there is no reason to panic; the numbers, while growing, are hundreds of cases among millions of naturalized citizens.
Protect Your Immigration Status with Campos Law Firm
Denaturalization is neither automatic nor widespread, but the administration has made clear it will keep filing cases, and each one turns on its facts: what was declared, what was omitted, and whether that fact was material.
If you naturalized and have questions about your file, or if a family member received a denaturalization complaint, Campos Law Firm is here to help you. Do not leave your immigration status to chance. Call us today at +1 (844) 922-6767 to schedule a free, confidential consultation in English or Spanish. Campos Law Firm: Legal Solutions in All Areas of Law.
With information from the U.S. Justice Department, Newsweek and Immigration Policy Tracking.
