The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced plans on Monday to prioritize cases aimed at revoking U.S. citizenship from individuals involved in fraud or other crimes during their naturalization process.
The DOJ revealed this initiative through a statement outlining the target of the denaturalization process as individuals who should not have been granted citizenship due to their involvement in serious offenses.
The use of denaturalization as a legal tactic dates back to the McCarthy era and has evolved over subsequent administrations.
During the Obama administration, its application was expanded, and it further grew during President Trump’s first term. Traditionally, denaturalization cases have been applied in serious and rare instances, such as dealing with Nazis or war criminals.