Trump's justice department issues directive to strip naturalized Americans of citizenship for civil offenses

[babylonsister]

Trump’s justice department issues directive to strip naturalized Americans of citizenship for civil offenses
Memo says those subjected to civil proceedings are not entitled to an attorney like they are in criminal cases
Edward Helmore
Mon 30 Jun 2025 09.29 EDT


The Trump administration has codified its efforts to strip some Americans of their US citizenship in a recently published justice department memo that directs attorneys to prioritize denaturalization for naturalized citizens who commit certain crimes.

The memo, published on 11 June, calls on attorneys in the department to institute civil proceedings to revoke a person’s United States citizenship if an individual either “illegally procured” naturalization or procured naturalization by “concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation”.

At the center of the move are the estimated 25 million US citizens who immigrated to the country after being born abroad, according to data from 2023 – and it lists 10 different priority categories for denaturalization.

According to the memo, those subjected to civil proceedings are not entitled to an attorney like they are in criminal cases. And the government has a lighter burden of proof in civil cases than they do in criminal ones.

more...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/30/trump-birthright-citizenship-naturalized-citizens

[dalton99a]

1. Prioritizing Denaturalization

Last edited Mon Jun 30, 2025, 11:11 AM - Edit history (2)

Prioritizing Denaturalization

The Department of Justice may institute civil proceedings to revoke a person’s United States citizenship if an individual either “illegally procured” naturalization or procured naturalization by “concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.” 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a). The benefits of civil denaturalization include the government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of individuals who engaged in the commission of war crimes, extrajudicial killings, or other serious human rights abuses; to remove naturalized criminals, gang members, or, indeed, any individuals convicted of crimes who pose an ongoing threat to the United States; and to prevent convicted terrorists from returning to U.S. soil or traveling internationally on a U.S. passport. At a fundamental level, it also supports the overall integrity of the naturalization program by ensuring that those who unlawfully procured citizenship, including those who obtained it through fraud or concealment of material information, do not maintain the benefits of the unlawful procurement.

The Civil Division shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence. To promote the pursuit of all viable denaturalization cases available under 8 U.S.C. § 1451 and maintain the integrity of the naturalization system while simultaneously ensuring an appropriate allocation of resources, the Civil Division has established the following categories of priorities for denaturalization cases:

1. Cases against individuals who pose a potential danger to national security, including those with a nexus to terrorism, espionage, or the unlawful export from the United States of sensitive goods, technology, or information raising national security concerns;

2. Cases against individuals who engaged in torture, war crimes, or other human rights violations;

3. Cases against individuals who further or furthered the unlawful enterprise of criminal gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and drug cartels;

4. Cases against individuals who committed felonies that were not disclosed during the naturalization process;

5. Cases against individuals who committed human trafficking, sex offenses, or violent crimes;

6. Cases against individuals who engaged in various forms of financial fraud against the United States (including Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan fraud and Medicaid/Medicare fraud);

7. Cases against individuals who engaged in fraud against private individuals, funds, or corporations;

8. Cases against individuals who acquired naturalization through government corruption, fraud, or material misrepresentations, not otherwise addressed by another priority category;

9. Cases referred by a United States Attorney’s Office or in connection with pending criminal charges, if those charges do not fit within one of the other priorities; and

10. Any other cases referred to the Civil Division that the Division determines to be sufficiently important to pursue.

These categories are intended to guide the Civil Division in prioritizing which cases to pursue; however, these categories do not limit the Civil Division from pursuing any particular case, nor are they listed in a particular order of importance. Further, the Civil Division retains the discretion to pursue cases outside of these categories as it determines appropriate. The assignment of denaturalization cases may be made across sections or units based on experience, subject-matter expertise, and the overall needs of the Civil Division.

https://www.justice.gov/civil/media/1404046/dl

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FWIW Questions on naturalization application

[Xipe Totec]

13. 5b applies to a lot of Maggots

Advocated (supported and promoted) any of the following, or have been a member of, involved in, or in any way associated with any group anywhere in the world that advocated any of the following:

...
The establishment in the United States of a totalitarian dictatorship.

...

[S/V Loner]

2. Maybe Melania should self deport now! n/t

[PatSeg]

12. And how about Dinesh D'Souza

or that creep Sebastian Gorka?

[S/V Loner]

15. Yup! n/t

[Prairie Gates]

3. This seems like it's targeting Elon

[Katcat]

10. Ya know

That was my first thought too. Just read a story where musk was blasting Trump and the gop over his Big Bothersome Bill.

[newdeal2]

4. Anyone who thought they were safe under this admin

Is a damn fool.

[Lovie777]

5. Just like deportation....

70% have no criminal records. shithole and cronies defy the law and the Constitution and they will do the same for naturalized Americans.

[Eliot Rosewater]

6. Bye-bye America

Sorry, but no, peaceful protest is not going to work. Active resistance at a minimum is necessary.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Does this apply to Melania's Einstein visa?

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Is this his way of getting "even" with Musk ? Or a quickie divorce from Melamina ? nt

[sinkingfeeling]

9. So when do Melania and Elon leave? How safe are Rubio and Cruz?

[Xipe Totec]

11. Dust off your Canadian passport, Ted Cruz.

I wonder if he'll try to posthumously deport John McCain who was born in Panama.

[The Madcap]

14. 5a and 5b will knock out any MAGA applicants.

Supporting totalitarianism isn't a good idea.

[Johonny]

16. This is awful, just awful

The deAmericanizing actual patriotic citizens, that we can assume aren't white enough.

[pecosbob]

17. Get ready...next they'll be putting citizens into prison work farms for civil violations.

Somebody's got to pick those onions.

[John Farmer]

18. This seems to be aimed at Elon Musk

though it will likely hit thousands of others too.