U.S. Intensifies Denaturalisation Efforts Under Trump Directive
The U.S. government has ramped up efforts to revoke the citizenship of certain naturalised Americans, following new directives issued by President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi. As part of a broader immigration enforcement agenda, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has made denaturalisation a top priority.
A recent DOJ memorandum directed Civil Division attorneys to actively pursue cases involving individuals who may have unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship. The memo emphasises the “Prioritisation of Denaturalisation” as a key policy objective, particularly targeting individuals who allegedly concealed material facts, committed fraud during the naturalisation process, or pose a potential threat to national security.
Denaturalisation is a legal process through which a person’s U.S. citizenship is revoked. It typically applies to those who obtained their status through illegal means or by knowingly misrepresenting information during the naturalisation process.
Naturalised citizens are foreign-born individuals who become American citizens after meeting strict legal criteria—such as holding lawful permanent residency, maintaining continuous residence in the U.S., demonstrating good moral character, and passing civics and English tests. While they enjoy most of the rights afforded to native-born citizens, their citizenship can be rescinded if it was fraudulently obtained.
“This initiative reinforces the integrity of the naturalisation process and ensures that only those who qualify lawfully retain the rights and privileges of U.S. citizenship,” the DOJ said in a statement.
The policy shift has sparked concern among civil rights advocates, who caution that the expanded use of denaturalisation powers could lead to overreach and unjust targeting of immigrants. As the DOJ steps up civil litigation in this area, legal experts anticipate a rise in contested denaturalisation proceedings in the months ahead.
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