What Is Happening?
With Congress approving an additional $170.7 billion in funding for immigration enforcement, the Trump Administration is now prioritizing denaturalization — the process of stripping U.S. citizens of their citizenship — even in cases that go beyond what the law allows.
On June 11, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum that named denaturalization as a top civil enforcement priority. While denaturalization is permitted under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), it has historically been used sparingly — reserved for extreme cases involving genocide, espionage, or terrorism.
But the Trump Administration is expanding this power dramatically, turning it into a political weapon that could affect thousands of naturalized Americans — or even U.S.-born citizens.
Alarming Shift in Enforcement
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Between 1990 and 2017, only 305 denaturalization cases were pursued — about 11 per year.
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Under Trump’s first term, referrals for denaturalization increased by 600%.
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Now, this policy is being expanded even further to include individuals:
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Deemed “sufficiently important to pursue”
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Labeled a “potential threat to national security”
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Accused of minor paperwork errors or unproven allegations
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This includes recent calls by President Trump to deport NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a naturalized citizen, and expatriate Rosie O’Donnell, a U.S.-born citizen.
What Does the Law Actually Say?
Under the INA and 8 U.S.C. § 1451, denaturalization is legal only in certain situations:
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Fraud or willful misrepresentation during the naturalization process
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Involvement in subversive organizations within five years of naturalization
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Citizenship granted through relationships later found invalid
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Criminal conviction for naturalization fraud
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Dishonorable military discharge after naturalization
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Refusal to testify before Congress under specific circumstances
The DOJ’s new priorities go far beyond these legal boundaries.
Why This Is So Dangerous
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Citizenship cases may be filed without the person even knowing.
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Most denaturalization actions are civil, meaning:
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No right to an attorney
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No right to appear in court
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The bar for proof in civil court is lower than in criminal court
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People could become stateless, losing access to housing, healthcare, work, and travel
This creates a disturbing risk: Americans could lose their citizenship without ever committing a crime or knowing they were being targeted.
A Threat to Democracy
Stripping citizenship has been used throughout history by authoritarian regimes — from Nazi Germany to the McCarthy era in the U.S. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that citizenship is not conditional and cannot be used as a tool of political repression.
“The deprivation of citizenship is not a weapon that the Government may use to express its displeasure at a citizen’s conduct, however reprehensible that conduct may be.”
– Trop v. Dulles (1958)
“The security of the status of our naturalized citizens might depend…upon the political temper of majority thought and the stresses of the times.”
– Schneiderman v. United States (1943)
Why This Matters to You
This policy discourages immigrants from naturalizing and participating in public life. It instills fear and confusion, weakening trust in the immigration system and threatening core civil liberties.
Naturalized citizens deserve the same protections as native-born Americans. A targeted denaturalization campaign undermines the rule of law, the Constitution, and the very idea of equality under the law.
Take Action
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Learn your rights
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Support immigrant-led advocacy organizations
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Demand that Congress and the courts provide oversight
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Share verified information with your community
Additional Resources
Credits:
Policy Brief by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Posted July 21, 2025
AILA Doc. No. 25072102