Overview

• Under a July memo, the Department of Justice’s Civil Division may now launch civil actions to strip individuals of U.S. citizenship if naturalization was illegally procured or obtained through misrepresentation.
• The policy expands to target naturalized citizens convicted of crimes deemed ongoing threats to national security.
• Civil denaturalization proceedings will proceed under a clear-and-convincing evidence standard without appointed counsel or jury trials.
• Constitutional challenges are imminent, with lawsuits arguing the directive violates due process and equal protection guarantees.
• Naturalized citizens and advocacy groups are calling for clarity on potential impacts on derivative citizens and the broader naturalization system.