The Justice Department has filed denaturalization proceedings against 17 naturalized US citizens, representing a significant expansion of citizenship revocation efforts under the Trump administration. The move follows a June 11 memo directing federal attorneys to prioritize denaturalization cases against people who either "illegally procured" citizenship or obtained it through "concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation."
The policy targets naturalized citizens across multiple priority categories, including those involved in war crimes, human rights abuses, and criminal activity. According to the memo, denaturalization efforts should focus on naturalized criminals, gang members, and individuals convicted of crimes who pose ongoing threats to the country. The directive also expands the scope to include cases involving false statements on immigration forms, financial fraud, and medical fraud.
Denaturalization is a rare legal process that allows the government to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans. Unlike deportation proceedings for non-citizens, denaturalization requires federal court review. The government must prove that citizenship was obtained illegally or fraudulently. If successful, the proceedings would strip individuals of their US citizenship and could lead to deportation.
One case already concluded involved Elliott Duke, a military veteran originally from the UK who was convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material. A judge ordered revocation of his citizenship on June 13 after he failed to disclose the conviction during naturalization.
The policy has raised concerns among immigration advocates. Sameera Hafiz, policy director of the Immigration Legal Resource Center, told NPR: "It is kind of, in a way, trying to create a second class of US citizens." Civil rights attorneys note that denaturalization through civil litigation strips individuals of certain protections available in criminal cases, including the right to a government-provided attorney and a higher standard of proof. The civil process lowers the evidentiary threshold and speeds up proceedings.
The memo's focus on denaturalization reflects broader changes within the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. The division, traditionally tasked with combating racial discrimination, has been redirected toward the Trump administration's policy priorities, including efforts to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. According to NPR, approximately 250 attorneys, or 70 percent of the division's lawyers, left the department between January and May.
The estimated 25 million US citizens who immigrated to the country represent the broader population potentially affected by the administration's approach. Each denaturalization case will proceed independently through federal court, where judges will evaluate whether the government has met its burden of proof. The individuals targeted retain the right to legal representation and can contest the allegations in court.