DOJ Accelerates Denaturalization Effort, Targeting 384 Foreign-Born Citizens

The Justice Department announced that civil litigators in 39 U.S. attorney offices will file denaturalization cases against 384 foreign-born naturalized citizens across the United States. The move expands the Office of Immigration Litigation’s traditional role, indicating a systematic effort to increase denaturalization referrals.

The HillNew York Times

The initiative follows a December directive from the Trump administration that ordered the Department of Homeland Security to forward up to 200 potential denaturalization referrals each month to the Justice Department. Historically, denaturalization has been rare; only 305 cases were filed between 1990 and 2018. The current 384 referrals therefore represent a substantial increase.

New York Times

• 384 targeted naturalized citizens.

The Hill

• 39 U.S. attorney offices assigned.

The Hill

• DHS referral target: up to 200 per month (December).

The Hill

• 305 denaturalizations (1990-2018).

New York Times

• DOJ claims referrals in one year exceed total during Biden administration.

The Hill

Justice Department spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said the effort targets fraud in the naturalization process and represents the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history. He described the operation as a partnership with immigration agencies and noted that cases will proceed through civil or criminal courts, requiring evidence before a federal judge.

The Hill

The sources do not specify the criteria used to select the 384 individuals or detail the alleged fraud or crimes. No public list of evidence has been released, leaving the basis for each case unclear.

New York Times

• “The Department of Justice is laser focused on rooting out criminal aliens defrauding the naturalization process,” — Matthew Tragesser, Deputy Director for Communications, DOJ

New York Times

• “pursuing the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history” — Matthew Tragesser, Deputy Director for Communications, DOJ

New York Times

• “We are moving at warp speed to ensure fraudsters are held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent.” — Matthew Tragesser, Deputy Director for Communications, DOJ

The Hill

• “We are moving at warp speed to ensure fraudsters are held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent. Our filed referrals in one year have exceeded the total during the entire four years of theBidenadministration, with many more to come.” — Matthew Tragesser, Deputy Director for Communications, DOJ

The Hill

If the referrals lead to denaturalizations, a sizable number of naturalized citizens could lose citizenship, altering the legal framework for revocation. Using line prosecutors may speed cases but also raises concerns about procedural safeguards and the evidentiary burden required to strip citizenship.

New York Times

The Justice Department will file the denaturalization complaints in the 39 assigned U.S. attorney offices in the coming weeks. Subsequent court hearings will determine individual outcomes and may set precedents for future denaturalization practice.

New York Times