Trump-Era Memo Targets Naturalized Citizens for Denaturalization, Sparks Civil Rights Concerns

Trump-Era Memo Targets Naturalized Citizens for Denaturalization, Sparks Civil Rights Concerns

A newly released memo from the U.S. Department of Justice under the Trump administration directs attorneys to prioritize civil denaturalization—revoking citizenship from naturalized Americans who committed certain crimes or misrepresented facts during their immigration process.

Published on June 11, the memo identifies 10 priority categories, including individuals linked to war crimes, gang activity, human rights ab¥ses, fra¥d, or lying on immigration forms. It also expands the Justice Department’s discretion to pursue such cases, including those tied to pending criminal charges.

Unlike criminal cases, civil denaturalization does not guarantee the right to a lawyer, and the government faces a lower burden of proof. Immigration advocates warn this weakens due process and risks creating “a second class of U.S. citizens.”

“It’s trying to create a tiered citizenship system,” said Sameera Hafiz of the Immigration Legal Resource Center.

The policy affects some of the 25 million U.S. citizens who immigrated to the country. Critics fear it could be ab¥sed under vague criteria.

On June 13, a judge revoked the citizenship of Elliott Duke, a UK-born U.S. military veteran, for failing to disclose a past conviction for distributing child abuse material.

The memo reflects a broader realignment of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division under Trump. The division has been tasked with ending DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, banning transgender treatments, and suing officials who block deportations. NPR reports that 70% of its attorneys left between January and May 2025.

Critics argue the shift abandons the division’s core civil rights mission and thr+atens long-standing legal protections.

#Instablog9jaNews #TrendingStory #Awareness #StayUpdated#StayUpdated