Top 5 Things You Need to Know About the New 'Denaturalization' Task Force That Could Strip Passports
- What it is: The Department of Justice has quietly revived and expanded a "Denaturalization Section" to investigate immigrants who obtained citizenship through fraud, including lying about criminal records, marriages of convenience, or wartime atrocities.
- Who is at risk: Primarily naturalized citizens who committed "procurement fraud" before 1990. The new focus includes those who joined terror groups or served in foreign militaries without proper disclosure.
- The numbers: The government is currently handling over 200 open denaturalization cases, a 50% increase from last year. Once a person is denaturalized, they can be deported immediately.
- Legal process: The government must prove fraud "by clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence" in federal court. However, if a person declines to fight the case, denaturalization can be done administratively without a hearing.
- Defense options: You can fight denaturalization with a lawyer, arguing that the alleged fraud was minor or outdated. Many cases hinge on a single unchecked box on an old form. If you lose, you can appeal, but you must act quickly as once you are denaturalized, you lose all rights to remain in the U.S.