BREAKING: Trump admin moves to denaturalize 17 persons accused of obtaining citizenship fraudulently, other crimes

This marks what officials describe as the largest use of denaturalization authority in modern history, reports CBS News, growing on the campaign that has grown since President Donald Trump returned to office. The cases were filed in federal courts across the country in recent days.

Among those targeted are a Haitian-born man accused of sexually abusing his daughter, a former Catholic priest born in Colombia accused of child sex abuse, and a man from the former Yugoslavia convicted of sexually abusing a child under 15. A Filipino-born man who pleaded guilty to a child sex offense is also included in the group.

Additional cases involve non-violent offenses, including an Indian-born immigrant accused of submitting fraudulent H-1B visa petitions, a Cuban-born woman accused of defrauding a tribal casino, and a Jamaican-born man convicted of wire fraud. Authorities also cite a case involving the daughter of a Colombian drug trafficker accused of money laundering along with other individuals alleged to have used false identities.

Between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed an average of about 11 denaturalization cases per year, according to historical data cited by officials. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department will take a strict stance on naturalization fraud.

"Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters," Blanche said. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration would continue pursuing legal pathways to remove citizenship from individuals who obtained it unlawfully.

"American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here, break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege," Mullin said.