The Justice Department has issued a memorandum telling prosecutors to consider stripping U.S. citizenship from naturalized immigrants convicted of serious crimes, building upon efforts that began just months before the end of President Donald Trump‘s first term five years ago.
In a June 11 memo, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate directed attorneys in the Civil Division to “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.” The memo outlines 10 categories of offenses that will trigger priority review, including terrorism, war crimes, human trafficking, financial fraud, and gang activity.
Shumate emphasized the importance of revoking citizenship from individuals who “pose a potential danger to national security,” including those linked to terrorism, espionage, or the unlawful export of sensitive U.S. technology.
“The benefits of civil denaturalization include the government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of individuals who engaged in the commission of war crimes, extrajudicial killings, or other serious human rights abuses,” Shumate wrote, noting it also helps “prevent convicted terrorists from returning to U.S. soil or traveling internationally on a U.S. passport.”
Denaturalization efforts accelerate
Denaturalization has surged to higher rates under Trump, though former President Barack Obama and other past presidents also engaged in the same practice. Under Obama’s Operation Janus, officials began reviewing fingerprint cards to determine whether naturalized citizens had lied during their citizenship process.
Now, the Trump administration is taking a closer look at naturalized immigrants who may have also lied about their criminal past.
Just two days after the Trump DOJ memo was issued, the Justice Department announced it had secured the denaturalization of Elliott Duke, a British national and former U.S. Army enlistee. Duke, who was convicted in 2014 of distributing child sexual abuse material, obtained citizenship in 2013 after falsely claiming on his application that he had never committed a crime.
“Individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes will be held accountable,” Shumate said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
From 1990 to 2017, the Justice Department filed just 305 denaturalization cases, an average of 11 per year. However, the trend accelerated sharply during Trump’s first term.
In 2017 alone, the department filed at least 30 denaturalization cases — nearly double the previous year — and by August 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had referred at least 110 cases to the DOJ for prosecution. According to USCIS data, the agency reviewed some 2,500 cases for potential denaturalization during Trump’s first term.
Continuing an effort that caught wind in 2020
The memo also reflects a broader continuation of other Trump 1.0 policies. In February 2020, the DOJ formed its own section dedicated to denaturalization cases for serious criminal offenders.
At the time, the Trump administration was denaturalizing brazen offenders, such as an individual convicted for terrorism offenses in Egypt after he admitted to recruiting for Al Qaeda within the United States, and another case involving a man who received military training at a jihadist camp in Afghanistan, according to a Feb. 26, 2020 press release.
“When a terrorist or sex offender becomes a U.S. citizen under false pretenses, it is an affront to our system—and it is especially offensive to those who fall victim to these criminals,” then-Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt said at the time.
White House shows restraint amid politically-fueled denaturalization calls
The Trump administration has shown restraint amid recent calls by some hard-line Republicans to revoke citizenship for high-profile figures, namely New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mandani, a socialist candidate for New York City mayor who recently won the Democratic primary.
On Monday, the White House notably punted when asked about a recent call by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) for the administration to revoke Mandani’s citizenship.
“I haven’t heard him say that. I haven’t heard him call for that, but certainly he does not want this individual to be elected,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Trump’s effort mirrors similar initiatives in Europe
The Trump administration’s efforts come as European nations have taken stricter measures to fight back against naturalized citizens who may threaten the broader population.
Earlier this year, the Swedish government recommended a constitutional shift that could revoke a person’s citizenship if they are considered a threat to national security. Similar efforts have been taken in Hungary, while certain political parties in Germany have pushed for stronger denaturalization powers for terrorists or extremists.
WHITE HOUSE PUNTS ON REPUBLICAN CALLS TO DEPORT ZOHRAN MAMDANI
As of 2022, roughly 24.5 million of the 46.2 million immigrants living in the U.S. were naturalized citizens, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
To become a naturalized citizen, applicants must generally reside in the U.S. for five years as lawful permanent residents, pass an English and civics exam, and show good moral character. In 2024, the median time spent as a permanent resident prior to naturalization was 7.5 years.