A memo issued by the US Department of Justice(DOJ) has directed federal attorneys to actively pursue denaturalization cases, aligning with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement objectives. The memo dated June 11 instructed DOJ’s civil division to “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence” to “advance the Administration’s policy objectives”.

What is denaturalization?

The concept of naturalization typically concerns the grant of citizenship to a person who has lived in the United States for a specified time period and meets certain other requirements. So the concept of denaturalization refers to the revocation of citizenship from a naturalized US citizen.In the United States, when an individual is denaturalized, they revert to their prior status before obtaining citizenship. For instance, if someone was once a permanent resident, they will be regarded as such again, potentially leading to deportation actions.

Is ‘good moral character’ a condition for retaining US citizenship?

The memo states that US attorneys were given significant authority to begin actions against naturalized citizens, especially those considered to have a deficiency in “good moral character.” Officials were required to prove that an individual did not possess “good moral character,” a term that is broadly interpreted and not clearly defined.

Who can be denaturalized?

The recent memo outlines various categories of individuals who may have their naturalized citizenship revoked, offering clearer criteria for determining who is deemed lacking in “moral character.” This includes individuals connected to terrorism, espionage, war criminals, and those who have been found to have provided false information during their naturalization process.While attorneys are urged to prioritize cases involving individuals who “pose a potential danger to national security,” the memo also states that they can seek out “any other cases referred to the Civil Division that the Division determines to be sufficiently important to pursue.”Denaturalization is among the DOJ’s top five enforcement priorities for the civil division, which also lists “Combatting Discriminatory Practices and Policies,” “Ending Antisemitism,” “Protecting Women and Children,” and “Ending Sanctuary Jurisdictions”.