- - Trump considers denaturalization of Somali-Americans who engaged in fraud

Joey Garrison, USA TODAY January 1, 2026 at 3:28 AM

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WASHINGTON ‒ The Trump administration is exploring the denaturalization of Somali-Americans in Minnesota who engaged in fraud, a move that would seek to strip the U.S. citizenship of those who illegally obtained tax dollars intended for social services.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt discussed the potential action in a Dec. 31 appearance on Fox News, one day after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services froze childcare payments to Minnesota following what the agency said was fraud at daycares in the state.

"We're also not afraid to use denaturalization," Leavitt said. "That's a tool at the president and the secretary of state's disposal, and it's one this administration has previously used before."

More: Trump revives push to denaturalize US citizens

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Of the 86 people charged in a sprawling $250 million case involving Minnesota-administered programs, 78 have been identified as Somali-Americans. Minnesota is home to about 80,000 Somali immigrants, the largest of any state. Most are naturalized citizens ‒ foreign-born individuals who went through a legal process to gain their citizenship

"Absolutely," Leavitt said when asked whether Trump wants Somali-Americans' citizenship revoked if they're convicted of fraud. “It’s something the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State is currently looking at right now."

Demonstrators rally in protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), amid a reported federal immigration operation targeting the Somali community, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. December 8, 2025.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a Dec. 30 appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast, said DHS investigators are currently going "door to door" to suspected fraud sites in Minnesota "to make sure we follow the money here and we bring arrests, prosecutions and ultimately removals."

Federal prosecutors have charged 86 individuals with felonies for exploiting federal tax dollars ‒intended to help hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic ‒ for personal gain. More than 60 have pleaded guilty or been convicted so far. The case was originally brought by the Biden administration.

More: HHS freezes all childcare funding to Minnesota, citing 'blatant fraud'

The White House has also seized on a recent viral video from conservative influencer Nick Shirley that claims abandoned daycare centers are receiving millions in state taxpayer dollars. FBI Director Kash Patel on Dec. 28 said his agency has "surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs."

Stripping citizenship from naturalized U.S. citizens is rare and has a high bar. Federal courts, not the administration, make the final decisions. Denaturalization can be pursued through either civil proceedings or a criminal conviction.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 1, 2025.

During President Donald Trump's first term in office, the Justice Department filed 168 denaturalization cases in federal court, while the Biden administration filed 64 such cases, a database created by Irina Mantra, a Hofstra University law professor, found. An average of 11 denaturalization cases per year were filed between 1990 and 2007.

The general grounds for denaturalization involve the "illegal procurement of naturalization" or the "concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation," according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a federal agency. In addition, the federal government can cite an individual's current or past affiliation with a totalitarian political party or terrorist organization.

More: Trump calls Somalis 'garbage,' which Minnesota officials call racism

Trump has called Somali immigrants in Minnesota "garbage," igniting pushback from immigrant rights advocates who argue the White House's focus on the Minnesota fraud case is an excuse to target the immigrant population. Trump and Republicans have blamed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, for allowing the fraud to unfold.

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, a close ally of Trump, called for the denaturalization of Somali-Americans convicted of fraud in a Dec. 30 post on Facebook.

“I have three words regarding Somalis who have committed fraud against American taxpayers: Send them home. If they’re here illegally, deport them immediately; if they’re naturalized citizens, revoke their citizenship and deport them quickly thereafter," Emmer said.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump explores stripping citizenship of Somali-Americans in Minnesota

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