Report says thousands of Americans renounced citizenship in first three quarters of 2026

A report released by Newsweek states that 4,574 names appeared on the Federal Register's US expatriation list over the first three quarters of the year, representing individuals whose loss of US citizenship or long-term permanent resident status was reported to the Treasury Department. The latest quarterly update, issued on Thursday, shows that 1,331 names appeared on the register between July and September alone, down from 1,462 between January and March and 1,781 between April and June.

Despite the modest quarterly dip, the report says that compared with previous years, 2026 has seen an unusually high number of Americans renounce US citizenship or give up their permanent residency. It added that since Trump's return to the White House, the number of names on the Treasury's register has been rising. In the first quarter of 2025, 1,285 Americans formally expatriated or renounced their US citizenship. The figure fell to 1,057 in the second quarter, rose to 1,593 in the third, and dropped to 954 in the fourth.

The report quoted Peter Spiro, a professor who holds the Charles Weiner Chair in international law at Temple University, as saying that for some who renounced their citizenship or permanent residency, there is a "sense that America's future is increasingly problematic." The report did not provide further details on the reasons given by individuals on the list, and the Federal Register entries do not state motives.

The expatriation list is published quarterly and records the names of people who have lost US citizenship or long-term permanent resident status, as reported to the Treasury Department. The report by Mehr News, citing Newsweek, noted the figures and the professor's remarks. It did not include additional data beyond the quarterly totals and the comparison with 2025.