Karoline Leavitt says administration considering denaturalization for Somalis in Minnesota fraud

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday the administration is weighing denaturalization for Somali-Americans who were involved in fraud schemes in Minnesota.

Ms. Leavitt said the Department of Homeland Security is “looking at” revoking the U.S. citizenship of the Somalis involved in fraud. Ms. Leavitt said that out of 98 people charged in the fraud schemes, 85 are of Somali descent.

“We’re also not afraid to use denaturalization,” Ms. Leavitt said on “Fox & Friends.” “That’s a tool at the president and the secretary of state’s disposal. And it’s one this administration has previously used before.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Minnesota Republican, said on social media earlier this week that he was calling for the denaturalization and deportation of every Somali involved.

“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,” he wrote.

He also said he would be open to changing the law to allow for their denaturalization.

“Our nation will not tolerate those who take advantage of our charity and refuse to assimilate into our culture,” he said.

Earlier Wednesday, Vice President J.D. Vance vowed that the Trump administration will take further action to crack down on alleged fraud at Minnesota daycares.

The comments came after all child care payments to the state were frozen, in an announcement made by Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary Alex Adams.

Denaturalization is not common — the Immigrant Legal Resource Center said from 1990 to 2017, there was an average of 11 denaturalization cases opened per year. An uptick appeared in the first Trump administration to roughly 25 cases per year.