US President Donald Trump has directed the country’s US Department of Justice to prioritise stripping citizenship from naturalised Americans who obtained it through alleged fraud or misrepresentation.
Also targeted are naturalised Americans charged with serious crimes.
A June 11 memo outlines the effort, focusing on cases involving individuals involved in war crimes, extrajudicial killings, or serious human rights abuses. Also involved are convicted terrorists, gang members or individuals convicted of posing an ongoing threat to the US.
Still targeted are those involved in cases of financial fraud, including misuse of government programmes. Not left out are those who lied on immigration forms or hid past deportation orders.
According to the memo, government attorneys are to maximally pursue denaturalisation proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence. This move is said to potentially affect approximately 25 million naturalized US citizens, based on 2023 data.
The development has, however, raised concerns. Critics of the police say it creates a second class of Americans. . The American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups are already preparing lawsuits to challenge the directive, arguing that the policy borders on constitutional breaches and potential racial profling.
