The Justice Department has launched an accelerated effort to strip citizenship from 40 Americans over a six-week period, in what officials describe as an early phase of a campaign expected to grow substantially in the coming days and weeks.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said the 40 cases filed by the DOJ between August 28 and October 2 amount to the “largest denaturalization effort in modern history.”

The department is racing to file 250 denaturalization cases by the end of October. That would be more than twice the 120 cases brought between President Donald Trump’s return to office on January 20, 2025, and late August.

The ambitious target has alarmed immigration attorneys and advocates, who are questioning both the strain on government resources and the strength of some of the cases.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people,” Blanche said Tuesday.

The people targeted in the latest denaturalization cases are accused of crimes across 19 federal districts, officials said. They originally came to the United States from countries including Mexico, China, Iran, Pakistan and the Philippines.

“From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the US government and represent serious criminal offenders,” Blanche said in a press release.

Many of the cases now pending involve allegations that defendants lied on government forms or left out information about their conduct. The DOJ says those details would have made them ineligible for US citizenship.

It remains unclear whether, or how many, of the alleged errors and omissions may have been accidental.

The rapid pace of the campaign and its ambitious filing goal have nonetheless drawn concern from immigration lawyers and advocates. They fear some of the people involved may not receive a meaningful opportunity to present their cases in federal court.

The administration’s efforts already far exceed the pace seen under previous administrations.

Between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed an average of only 11 denaturalization cases each year, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.

By comparison, the Biden administration filed just 24 denaturalization cases over four years.

“The Trump administration’s second-term approach on denaturalization aligns with much of the rest of its immigration policy agenda: more enforcement, less legal immigration, and harder-to-access citizenship,” MPI researchers Muzaffar Chishti and Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh said in a report.

The researchers also said the campaign’s immediate objective may be to create a climate of fear, particularly because some denaturalization proceedings can take years to resolve.

“Creating a climate of hostility is much more achievable than large-scale denaturalizations, as history has shown,” they said.

Since returning to office last year, Trump and his administration have made a sweeping immigration crackdown a central priority.

FIND OUT MORE: Love Tom Cruise’s Digger? Watch These 5 Movies Next

So far, the administration has revoked hundreds of thousands of visas held by migrants and green card holders authorized to live and work temporarily in the United States. It has also ended so-called TPS, or Temporary Protected Status, designations for most countries.

rump has also sought to end so-called ‘birthright citizenship’ protections for babies born on US soil via multiple executive orders, despite Supreme Court’s rejection of the effort earlier this year. 

His agenda has faced continued push back.  

Earlier this week, a federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration from imposing ‘astronomical’ fines up to $1.8 million on illegal migrants who fail to leave the US after receiving final deportation orders. 

US District Judge George O’Toole, a Bill Clinton appointee, called Trump’s fines – issued to tens of thousands of migrants – unlawful in an order on Monday.

The fines included maximum penalties of $1.8 million, which would push the migrants into financial ruin, he said.

The judge called Trump’s fines ‘exorbitant’ and said they would hurt migrants, who already ‘live in an economically precarious position.’

DHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment. A spokesperson said DOJ is ‘reviewing’ the decision. 

The fines are part of the president’s hard-line immigration crackdown, and the administration’s broader push for migrants to ‘self-deport.’

As part of the effort, DHS sent notices last July to thousands of migrants who had final deportation orders.

It notified them of the new financial penalties – which included daily fines of $998 – and gave them just 30 days to contest them. 

The plan also allowed DHS to retroactively impose fines on migrants for a period of up to five years, for a maximum of $1.8 million.

DHS said earlier this year that it had issued more than 100,000 such fines to migrants in the US, bringing the total amount of civil fines to a whopping $84 billion. 

A group of migrants brought a class action lawsuit against DHS last November to challenge the fines.

Lawyers for the group argued that the fines violate the Administrative Procedure Act as well as the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause and other protections under the US Constitution. 

Celebrity fitness trainer Sam Wood could rely on self-defence if domestic violence allegations involving his wife proceed to trial, a court has heard.

However, Queensland Police told Maroochydore Magistrates Court on the Sunshine Coast that officers had previously attended a “similar” incident in Victoria, although no complaint was made at the time.

Wood’s solicitor, Mathew Cuskelly, said his client denied strangling or assaulting his wife at a holiday apartment in Noosa on Saturday night.

Mr Cuskelly said police would allege that Wood’s stepdaughter, Eve, had been hostile before her mother, Snezana, approached him and he pushed her away.

“My client may indeed be entitled to a self-defence argument,” Mr Cuskelly told the court. “These are matters that need to be further explored.”

Sergeant Janette Grigoris told the court that police had been called to an earlier incident in Victoria that was “similar in nature”, but said the alleged victim did not make a formal complaint.

Sergeant Grigoris said Eve had called Triple Zero and reported that the victim had allegedly been choked.

She said Snezana had not provided police with a formal statement, but had given her account of events in a recorded video.

“At this stage the complainant and her children returned to Victoria the following morning,” Sgt Grigoris said.

“However, Your Honour, police are in possession of the video-recorded statement.”

“In my submission, it’s strong evidence in terms of the offence.”

Sergeant Grigoris said Snezana described being choked, having her head banged against the floor and struggling to breathe.

She told police the alleged attack stopped only after one of the children called out.

The multimillionaire has remained in the Maroochydore watchhouse on the Sunshine Coast since being arrested at the holiday property on Saturday.

Wood had been staying at the $3,000-a-night beachfront apartment in the La Mer complex with Snezana, their three young children and his 21-year-old stepdaughter.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said officers went to the Hastings Street address at about 9pm on Saturday after receiving a report of alleged domestic violence.

“Police have charged a 46-year-old Victorian man with domestic violence offences early this morning, 4 October,” the spokesperson said.

“The man has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence) and strangulation in a domestic setting.”

Other guests staying at La Mer told the Daily Mail they realised something was wrong after police and paramedics arrived at the building.

One guest said she had not heard any disturbance beforehand but saw a woman let paramedics into the Woods’ apartment.

A woman was later taken away by paramedics.

The guest also witnessed Wood being questioned by police before he was driven the 45km south to the Maroochydore watchhouse.

Two more guests told the Daily Mail they saw police and an ambulance outside La Mer ‘after dinner in the late evening’.

A man said he had seen the Woods at the apartment during their stay but did not witness any altercations or arguments.

A woman said Wood’s youngest child had sleepwalked and left the unit during the family’s vacation.

She said the rest of the family packed up and left La Mer after Wood was taken into custody.

Wood did not appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday, when he was represented by Brisbane lawyer and private investigator Mathew Cuskelly.

KEEP READING: Raven-Symoné Reveals She Regrets Breast Reduction as a Teen

Mr Cuskelly said Wood intended to defend the charges and was in good spirits but was concerned for his family and eager to return to Victoria.

Wood and his 45-year-old wife, who met on the third season of The Bachelor in 2015, publicly addressed the domestic violence allegations on Monday morning. 

‘This is a difficult time for all of us, we are working through this as a family and are thoroughly co-operating with the authorities,’ each said on their respective Instagram accounts.

Wood founded fitness and training business 28 by Sam Wood, which he sold for $71million to DBG Health in 2022 while remaining the face of the online platform under its new owner.

DBG Health quickly distanced itself from Wood on Monday, stating it had ‘zero tolerance’ for domestic violence. 

‘While the matter is under investigation and before the court, Sam Wood is on indefinite leave from his duties,’ a spokesperson said. 

‘Our thoughts are with the family and anyone in the community affected by domestic violence.

‘Mark Watkins, 28 Group’s Chief Operating Officer, will be leading the business in Sam Wood’s absence.’

On Tuesday, Wood was sacked by the company. 

‘Yesterday, DBG Health announced Mr Wood had been placed on indefinite leave,’ a statement read.

‘As a result of further considerations, DBG Health has now terminated all arrangements.’

In addition to the fitness empire parting ways with Wood, other businesses and social media identities are following suit.

Pre-packaged meal company Foxes Den cut ties with Wood on Monday after having worked with him for the past six years.

Celebrity trainer Tiffiny Hall, who had strong links to 28 by Sam Wood, also confirmed she was no longer affiliated with the brand.

Wood remains the owner of The Woodshed gym in Melbourne.

The entrepreneur married single mother Snezana Markoski in an outdoor ceremony in Byron Bay on the NSW north coast in 2018.

They have three young daughters and Wood is stepfather to Eve, his wife’s daughter from a previous relationship.

Eve posted a video from the family’s Noosa getaway to social media on Saturday, just hours before her stepfather was arrested and charged.

The footage was filmed by Eve’s mother on Friday, as the pair appeared to enjoy a day out.

‘It is a beautiful sunny day in Noosa,’ Eve wrote. ‘I am just off to grab a coffee and something to eat.’

The Woods live in Brighton, a coastal suburb in Melbourne where they recently bought a $7million home.

Wood came under scrutiny in November 2025 after it emerged the Australian Taxation Office was pursuing him for more than $7million in allegedly unpaid taxes.

The ATO’s deputy commissioner launched civil proceedings against Wood seeking amounts relating to the financial years ending June 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

A recent court update shows the dispute was resolved by agreement, with the case dismissed without adjudication in September.

A 23-year-old Adelaide motorcyclist has died in a crash just weeks before he was set to marry his longtime partner.

Aidan Alchin, of Salisbury Heights, was riding his Yamaha along Gorge Road in Paracombe, in the Adelaide Hills, when he collided with a Mitsubishi sedan and a Subaru sedan at about 12.50pm on October 5.

Mr Alchin was due to marry Hayley Sutter, a South Australian finalist in the Miss Universe 2025 competition, on December 12 in Hamilton, South Australia. The couple had been together for five years.

News of his death prompted an outpouring of grief across Adelaide’s motorcycle community, where he was widely regarded as a much-loved and respected member.

Northern Group Riders Adelaide remembered Mr Alchin as a devoted and dependable son, brother, nephew and fiancé to Hayley.

Friend Louis Parcel described him as an “almost 7ft legend” who would be deeply missed, praising his extraordinary kindness and “heart of absolute gold”.

In a social media tribute, Mr Parcel said Mr Alchin was the kind of person who would immediately put everything aside to help someone and could always be relied upon. He also recalled how Aidan acted as a protective presence whenever friends were filming in or around the city.

Mr Alchin had previously survived a serious motorcycle accident in 2022, suffering injuries to his lower back.

After the earlier crash ended his construction career, he began working in his father’s locksmith business and enrolled in locksmithing studies at TAFE Queensland.

Fellow motorcyclist Dylan Thorp said Mr Alchin’s death had delivered a devastating reminder that tragedy can happen without warning on the road.

He urged riders to look after their friends, stay in contact, respect their limits and take every possible precaution to return home safely.

CONTINUE READING: Lawyer: Christa Pike Has Pneumonia, Blood Clot After Failed Execution

Mr Thorp added that the motorcycle community was like a family and had lost one of its own.

Mr Alchin had been preparing to join a motorcycle ride organised by Two Wheel Turtles on October 9, held in memory of another rider. Following his death, organisers said the event would also become a tribute to Aidan.

The group said riders had lost both a friend and a brother, sharing their condolences with the wider motorcycle community.

Organisers remembered Aidan as welcoming and approachable, someone who was always ready for a conversation, a laugh and time spent with fellow riders.

They called on the community to support the Friday ride and make it the biggest possible celebration of Mr Alchin’s life.

‘Ride eternally Aidan! The TWT crew will miss you mate.’

Mr Alchin was one of two people killed on South Australian roads over the Labour Day long weekend, with a separate crash at Virginia on October 4 claiming the life of a 52-year-old man.

South Australia Police Inspector Mark Atkinson said the deaths had prompted a renewed plea for motorists to take care on the roads.

‘We need members of the community to ride and drive like their life depends on it, because it does,’ he said.

‘Please make safer choices before more families are left grieving.’

SA Police urged motorcyclists to ride within their capabilities, reduce their speed and adjust their riding to road and weather conditions.

Drivers were also reminded to obey speed limits, avoid distractions, wear seatbelts and never drive while impaired.

Ben Affleck has settled a long-running question about the infamous shower sequence in the 2014 psychological thriller Gone Girl, revealing whether he used a prosthetic for the scene.

The 54-year-old actor, who also recently spoke candidly about his former wife Jennifer Lopez, addressed the subject briefly in a Variety interview published Wednesday.

The memorable moment comes late in the film, when Rosamund Pike’s character, Amy, returns home unexpectedly after being reported missing and covered in blood.

After entering the house, Amy heads for the shower and asks Affleck’s character, Nick, to join her so they can speak privately. She then insists that he remove all his clothes to confirm he is not wearing a recording device.

“I wore no prosthesis,” the Oscar-winning actor told the publication.

Affleck added that the only prosthetic he has used in a movie was a fake nose for 2006’s Hollywoodland, saying, “It was a nose.”

Directed by David Fincher, Gone Girl was adapted from Gillian Flynn’s bestselling 2012 novel.

The film also featured Carrie Coon, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry and Emily Ratajkowski in supporting roles.

The thriller earned strong reviews after its theatrical release and became a major commercial success, bringing in approximately $370 million worldwide from a reported $61 million budget.

Affleck portrayed Nick Dunne, a man placed under intense suspicion after his wife Amy, played by Pike, disappears on the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.

Fincher previously explained his casting decision in an interview with Film Comment. “The baggage he comes with is most useful to this movie,” the director said.

“I was interested in him primarily because I needed someone who understood the stakes of the kind of public scrutiny that Nick is subjected to and the absurdity of trying to resist public opinion.”

Fincher continued, “Ben knows that, not conceptually, but by experience.”

During his latest conversation with Variety, Affleck also touched on other subjects, including his past relationship with Lopez.

Affleck and Lopez have continued collaborating professionally since their divorce, including on the 2025 movie Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The songstress had garnered critical praise based on her performance in the musical thriller, but did not receive much buzz when it came to awards season. 

She also starred in the 2019 film Hustlers, but was snubbed out of an Oscar nomination at the time.  

When questioned why he believes Lopez has been ‘overlooked,’ Affleck replied, ‘I’m biased. I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for what she can do.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: California Realtor Accused of China Spying Allegedly Had Crypto Account

‘What I’ve found with awards is that sometimes the degree of commercial success for things doesn’t always correlate to my taste. It’s a part of this weird, subjective business that people bring a lot of their own stuff to.’

He added, ‘But guess what? I don’t think you die and go to heaven, and God says, “This was the actual best picture in 1986.” At the end of the day, it’s just a bunch of people voting on movie prizes.’

Affleck had rekindled his romance with Lopez in 2021 after the pair had initially separated back in 2004.

The two stars went on to say ‘I do’ in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022 and took part in a larger ceremony in August 2022 at the actor’s Georgia property in front of family as well as close friends.

Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck on the two-year anniversary of their Georgia wedding. The divorce was finalized in early 2025.

The pair reunited as they walked the red carpet at the premiere of Kiss Of The Spider Woman in NYC last year in October.

While having a past conversation with Entertainment Tonight, the Gone Girl actor also offered insight into her relationship with his children post-divorce.

‘For the record, Jennifer Lopez is spectacular. Great to my kids, great ongoing relationship with them.’

Affleck shares Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner. The former couple were married from 2005 through 2018.

He continued, ‘I love her kids. They’re wonderful. She’s [an] enormously important, tremendous person of a lot of integrity who I adore and am grateful to.’

Lopez is mom to 18-year-old twins, whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

Earlier this month, Affleck offered a rare update on his love life following his divorce from Lopez. 

He opened up about the topic while talking to Entertainment Tonight at the glitzy premiere of his new film Animals in Los Angeles last week. 

When questioned about dating, the Oscar winner told the outlet, ‘There’s not a lot of room. I’m not running around. It’s just not a big priority in my life.’ 

Affleck further expressed that he is both ‘good and happy’ being single while focusing on other priorities.

‘I know what my priorities are. You can’t have two things that are the most important in your life.’

He continued, ‘For me, that’s the kids. So that’s what that is. And then I have my work, which I love.

‘I’m where I’m at, and I’m great, and who knows what adventures life will bring. I’m open to it, but I’m not trying to chase anything.’