The Trump administration’s Justice Department has issued a far-reaching directive instructing prosecutors to aggressively pursue denaturalization proceedings against immigrants who have become American citizens but have criminal records. The June 11 memo, signed by Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, establishes denaturalization as one of the DOJ’s top five priorities. It calls for attorneys to “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.”
According to The Guardian, this policy change affects nearly 25 million naturalized Americans. It represents an expansion of government authority to strip citizenship rights that many believed were permanent and secure once granted. The directive has sparked immediate controversy among immigration advocates and legal experts.
Categories Of Crimes Targeted For Denaturalization
The Justice Department memo outlines ten priority categories for denaturalization, casting a wide net that includes national security concerns, human rights violations, gang membership, drug trafficking, sexual offenses, and various forms of financial fraud. Of particular note is the inclusion of financial crimes such as Medicare and Medicaid fraud, PPP loan fraud, and even “fraud against private individuals, funds, or corporations.” Critics worry that the broad discretion given to prosecutors could lead to the arbitrary application of these guidelines.
While denaturalization isn’t new, its use has expanded dramatically in recent years. The practice was widely employed during Senator Joseph McCarthy’s era in the late 1940s and early 1950s against suspected communists. During Barack Obama’s presidency, digital tools enabled more aggressive review of citizenship applications to detect fraud. The Trump administration has now significantly broadened the scope of denaturalization to include civil offenses.
This denaturalization initiative follows closely on the heels of the administration’s efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented parents in the United States. Last week, the Supreme Court sided with Trump in a ruling that prevents lower courts from blocking his decisions on birthright citizenship on a national level, potentially allowing the policy to take effect in some states.
