The administration of President Donald Trump is significantly expanding efforts to revoke U.S. citizenship from naturalized individuals, marking a new chapter in its restrictive immigration policy.
According to NBC News, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun to deploy specialized personnel in denaturalization across offices nationwide, aiming to increase the number of cases reviewed and sent to litigation.
According to sources cited by the outlet, the goal is to supply the immigration litigation office with between 100 and 200 potential cases per month.
This figure contrasts with the recent history: during the four years of Trump's first term, a total of 102 denaturalization cases were formally presented, according to data from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
So far in the second term, 16 cases have been presented, and the administration has won seven of them, including that of a man from the United Kingdom who was convicted of receiving and distributing sexually explicit images of minors.
Historically, denaturalization processes have been infrequent and have primarily focused on situations where it is demonstrated that citizenship was obtained through fraud or material misrepresentation, such as the concealment of criminal records, serious human rights violations, or connections to terrorist organizations.
"Zero tolerance" for fraud
The spokesperson for USCIS, Matthew Tragesser, stated that the agency reviews cases when there is credible evidence that citizenship was obtained fraudulently.
“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy against fraud in the naturalization process and will initiate denaturalization proceedings for anyone who has lied or misrepresented their identity,” he stated.
He added that the agency "will relentlessly pursue those who undermine the integrity of the U.S. immigration system" and that it will work with the Department of Justice to ensure that only those who meet the requirements retain their citizenship.
The Department of Justice, for its part, has instructed its attorneys to prioritize this type of litigation, focusing on cases involving “individuals who pose a risk to national security”, people who have participated in war crimes or torture, those who have committed fraud against programs such as Medicaid or Medicare, or who have defrauded the government in other ways.
Additionally, there is a broad clause that allows for the pursuit of "any other case... that the division determines is significant enough to pursue."
Who could be at risk?
Every year, approximately 800,000 people obtain U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
To achieve this, applicants must be over 18 years old, legal permanent residents, demonstrate basic proficiency in English, pass a citizenship civics test, and prove "good moral character," according to the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The concept of "good moral character" could become a key point.
Deborah Chen, associate director of the immigrant protective services program at the New York Legal Assistance Group, noted that some clients with pending applications were rejected due to tax debts, even with payment plans in place.
He said this could indicate that officials are looking for more evidence of a moral character, assessing "positive attributes" such as family care, stable employment, education, and community involvement.
Analyst Sarah Pierce, a former USCIS official during Joe Biden's presidency, warned that the agency's broad discretion could create retroactive vulnerability for some naturalized individuals.
“Denaturalization is an important tool that should be used in exceptional cases,” he stated.
Pierce expressed concern over the possibility that certain changes in immigration policy could make some naturalized citizens vulnerable to claims of fraud or misrepresentation retroactively.
Although the government promotes more research, denaturalization cannot be executed unilaterally.
It requires a complete judicial process and high evidentiary standards. Even if the government initiates an investigation aimed at revoking citizenship, the process can take years.
An eventual deportation would also involve a separate judicial process.
Doug Rand, a former USCIS official, recalled that no president can unilaterally strip citizenship from a naturalized American.
"It is very important for current and future naturalized U.S. citizens to know that no president can unilaterally strip individuals of the citizenship they have worked so hard to earn," he stated.
However, civil rights advocacy organizations warn that merely announcing these measures can instill fear.
Margy O’Herron, principal investigator of the national freedom and security program at the Brennan Center for Justice, stated that the mere threat of denaturalization already has profound psychological and social effects.
“Citizens are afraid that if they do or say something the government doesn't like, even if those things are legal and protected by the Constitution, they will become a target”, he pointed out.
A broader debate about citizenship
The offensive against denaturalization occurs alongside another controversial front: birthright citizenship, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Trump has publicly questioned this principle, and the Supreme Court is currently examining arguments related to this issue.
In a message posted on Thanksgiving last year, the president stated that he would eliminate federal benefits for those who were not a "net positive" for the country and that he would "denaturalize immigrants who undermine domestic tranquility."
In the past, cases of denaturalization focused on exceptional situations, such as the identification of ex-Nazis who had concealed their past after World War II.
Both Democratic and Republican administrations have used this tool, although always in a limited manner.
Now, with the deployment of specialized personnel in more than 80 local USCIS offices and an unprecedented monthly goal, the effort takes on a new dimension.
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