The US Department of Justice has issued a directive to speed up efforts to revoke citizenship from individuals who obtained it illegally or are considered a threat to national security. The move could impact millions of naturalized Americans.
A memo dated June 11 outlines the Justice Department’s renewed focus on civil denaturalization cases, especially those involving serious crimes. These include war crimes, terrorism, human rights violations, and gang activity. The directive instructs government attorneys to give top priority to cases where evidence supports revocation.
“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,” the memo states.
The Justice Department added, “The Civil Division shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.”
Around 25 million Americans who became citizens through naturalization could be impacted, according to 2023 estimates. The memo lists ten categories for priority action, including people with criminal records, gang affiliations, or national security risks.
The directive has already been applied in at least one recent case, where an individual convicted of child sexual abuse material distribution was stripped of US citizenship, Axios reported.
(With inputs from TOI)
A memo dated June 11 outlines the Justice Department’s renewed focus on civil denaturalization cases, especially those involving serious crimes. These include war crimes, terrorism, human rights violations, and gang activity. The directive instructs government attorneys to give top priority to cases where evidence supports revocation.
“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,” the memo states.
The Justice Department added, “The Civil Division shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence.”
Around 25 million Americans who became citizens through naturalization could be impacted, according to 2023 estimates. The memo lists ten categories for priority action, including people with criminal records, gang affiliations, or national security risks.
The directive has already been applied in at least one recent case, where an individual convicted of child sexual abuse material distribution was stripped of US citizenship, Axios reported.
(With inputs from TOI)
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