The Department of Justice announced on July 20 that it has filed civil suits to strip US citizenship from ten naturalised immigrants convicted of crimes ranging from child sexual abuse and Medicare fraud to cocaine trafficking. The complaints, lodged in nine federal districts over the past 30 days, form part of what officials called "the largest denaturalisation effort in American history." Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the defendants "lied their way into US citizenship" and vowed that more cases are forthcoming. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin added that DHS would "denaturalise and remove these fraudsters with every tool at our disposal." Under INA 340, denaturalisation requires proof that citizenship was "illegally procured" or obtained by willful misrepresentation. The campaign represents a sharp policy break from the Obama and Biden eras, which used denaturalisation sparingly and mostly for human-rights violators. Corporate immigration lawyers note that the new cases broaden targets to include domestic crimes unrelated to national security, such as wire fraud. The move could chill naturalisation filings among long-term green-card holders fearful of minor disclosure errors. Employers with staff pursuing citizenship should conduct thorough background checks and ensure complete candour on Form N-400, including expunged arrests or prior immigration aliases. Naturalised employees in high-security roles may face additional vetting if denaturalisation becomes a routine enforcement tool. Although civil, the suits can lead to removal proceedings once citizenship is revoked, disrupting workforce continuity.
Source: US Department of Justice
