The Justice Department filed a record 25 denaturalization cases simultaneously on Aug. 11, targeting naturalized U.S. citizens accused of serious crimes including attempted murder and aggravated child sexual assault.
Filing 25 cases in a single batch is described as a record for the DOJ denaturalization program, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Denaturalization — stripping a naturalized citizen of their citizenship — requires court proceedings and proof that citizenship was obtained by fraud or concealment of material facts.
The cases signal an escalating use of denaturalization as an immigration enforcement tool under the current administration. Denaturalization is among the most severe legal actions the federal government can take against an individual, effectively reversing the conferral of U.S. citizenship.
The Justice Department said the individuals targeted in the filings concealed serious criminal conduct or prior removal orders when applying for citizenship. Successful denaturalization renders the individual an alien subject to deportation.
Civil liberties advocates have raised due process concerns about the aggressive use of denaturalization, arguing that the permanence of citizenship is a foundational principle of American law. The ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project has previously challenged denaturalization efforts.
The 25 simultaneous filings could affect how naturalized citizens and immigration attorneys view the security of U.S. citizenship. An estimated 23 million naturalized citizens live in the United States.
Constitutional law scholars have noted that the Supreme Court has historically imposed high standards of proof for denaturalization cases, requiring the government to demonstrate its case by clear, convincing and unequivocal evidence. The record batch filing suggests the DOJ believes it has met that standard across all 25 cases.
Each case will proceed through individual federal court proceedings, where judges will evaluate the evidence independently.