White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration is exploring whether it can revoke the citizenship of Somali Americans convicted of fraud as part of a sweeping welfare scandal centered in Minnesota.
“It’s something the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State are currently looking at right now,” Leavitt said during an interview on Fox and Friends on Wednesday morning. “It’s something this administration has already done.”
Why It Matters
Leavitt’s remarks point to a tougher federal response to large-scale pandemic-era fraud and raise alarms about due process, selective enforcement, and the broader implications of denaturalization. The proposal has intensified debate nationwide, particularly in Minnesota, home to the largest Somali diaspora in the United States, where community leaders and lawmakers are weighing the legality and consequences of such actions.
What to Know
Federal prosecutors have charged roughly 90 people in connection with fraud involving state and federal programs, including nutrition assistance, health care, and housing benefits. In one case alone—the Feeding Our Future scheme—there have been 57 guilty pleas and convictions. The Minnesota-based nonprofit at the center of that case was accused of billing the government for hundreds of millions of pandemic-era meals that were never served.
Estimates of the total cost to taxpayers range from $250 million to $1 billion. Most defendants are of East African descent and are believed to be members of Minnesota’s Somali community.
The Department of Justice began uncovering the schemes in 2022. DHS has since increased its federal presence in Minnesota, while the Department of Health and Human Services has frozen all child care payments to the state until additional oversight mechanisms are put in place.
Some Somali community leaders and immigrant advocates argue the administration is using the fraud cases to stigmatize an entire community rather than focusing solely on individuals who have been convicted.
Denaturalization—the legal process of revoking U.S. citizenship—is uncommon. According to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, an average of just 11 cases per year were pursued between 1990 and 2017.
What People Are Saying
David Bier, director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, told Newsweek that citizenship cannot be revoked by executive action alone.
“The administration cannot unilaterally revoke anyone’s citizenship,” Bier said. “It can initiate proceedings to request that a court revoke citizenship if it can prove that the citizen committed fraud to obtain citizenship, including by lying about a serious criminal offense prior to naturalization. It is not easy, but it is possible.”
Ricky Murray, a former USCIS official, told Newsweek that targeting a single nationality would face steep legal hurdles.
“It would be very hard to argue that focusing denaturalization efforts on a single nationality is legal,” Murray said. “Once someone naturalizes, they are a U.S. citizen. There are no classes or levels of U.S. citizenship, and equal-protection principles apply under the Constitution.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, voiced support for aggressive action earlier this week.
“I have three words regarding Somalis who have committed fraud against American taxpayers: Send them home,” Emmer said. “If they’re here illegally, deport them immediately; if they’re naturalized citizens, revoke their citizenship and deport them quickly thereafter. If we need to change the law to do that, I will.”
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday that existing law already allows for such action in limited circumstances.
“Under U.S. law, if an individual procures citizenship on a fraudulent basis, that is grounds for denaturalization,” she said.
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz criticized the administration’s approach following the HHS funding freeze.
“We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. It’s a serious issue,” Walz said. “But this has been [Trump’s] plan all along. He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.”
What Happens Next
Federal investigators could broaden their scrutiny beyond Minnesota if similar fraud patterns emerge in other states, potentially setting the stage for additional prosecutions—and a renewed national debate over the limits of denaturalization.
