The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday it was stripping United States citizenship from 17 people accused of serious offenses, including fraud and sexual abuse.

Under the Trump administration, the DOJ has sought to increase the number of denaturalizations, especially for individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes or who have lied on their citizenship applications. While critics have expressed concern that former immigrants will lose their American citizenship unfairly in order to achieve deportation goals, the White House has insisted it is simply enforcing rules that were more loosely applied in the past.

“When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences," acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a press release. "Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters.

"Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process. We continue to work around the clock with our interagency partners to make sure U.S. citizenship is granted to those who truly deserve it.”

Which People Had Their US Citizenship Revoked?

The DOJ released a list of 17 individuals who were set to have their U.S. citizenship revoked, along with brief explanations of why. Some have been convicted of offenses, while others face charges relating to various alleged offenses.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.