The Department of Justice filed a record 25 denaturalization cases in a single batch Aug. 18 against naturalized U.S. citizens accused of serious crimes, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to DOJ and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The unprecedented filing represents a dramatic escalation in the administration’s effort to revoke citizenship from naturalized Americans with serious criminal records, establishing a legal and political precedent with broad implications.
USCIS provided identity-verification support for the cases, the agency said in a press release. The batch is the largest single filing of denaturalization cases in DOJ history.
Denaturalization cases proceed through federal civil courts, not criminal proceedings, and require the government to prove by clear and convincing evidence that a naturalized citizen obtained citizenship through fraud or concealment of material facts, including criminal history.
The DOJ said the cases target individuals who lied about or concealed serious criminal activity during their naturalization applications. The agency framed the effort as protecting the integrity of the citizenship process.
Immigration law scholars noted that denaturalization has historically been rare and reserved for the most egregious cases, such as former Nazi war criminals. The scale of the current filings represents a significant departure from that precedent.
Civil liberties groups have expressed concern that aggressive denaturalization campaigns could create anxiety among the nation’s approximately 23 million naturalized citizens. The National Immigration Law Center called the batch filing "a chilling escalation."
USCIS said the agency would continue to support DOJ in identifying naturalized citizens who obtained their status through fraud, according to the agency’s statement.
The cases will proceed individually through federal district courts, with each respondent entitled to legal representation and a full hearing.