DOJ plans denaturalization of 40 foreign-born citizens — with more to come

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to revoke the citizenship of 40 naturalized U.S. citizens, a move known as “denaturalization.” According to NBC News, the DOJ argues that the candidates for denaturalization lied or omitted critical information on their citizenship applications. The 40 denaturalizations are expected to be the first of many, as the DOJ is reviewing a total of approximately 300 naturalization cases linked to suspected fraud.

Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen requires a showing of “good moral character,” according to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The standard permanently bars from naturalization those convicted of murder or an “aggravated felony,” a broad category which can include the rape or sexual abuse of a minor, drug or weapons trafficking, money laundering, fraud, and a host of other offenses.

The 40 individuals slated for denaturalization by the DOJ are accused of lying about or omitting such offenses during their naturalization process. Convictions include committing espionage for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party, child pornography distribution, sexual abuse of children, and voluntary manslaughter. Lying about or omitting such offenses during the naturalization process is also considered immigration fraud.

“From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement confirming the denaturalization plans. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people.”

Once the immigration fraud charges are finalized, the DOJ will take the cases to federal court. If convicted, the candidates for denaturalization face deportation.

Immigration policy experts have praised the denaturalization efforts, saying that they are a means of restoring U.S. security and public safety and further expose the lax vetting standards employed by previous presidential administrations.

“U.S. citizenship is the most important immigration benefit our government grants a foreigner. It should only be granted to those who are truly eligible,” Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Zeale News.

“Like so many of our immigration benefits, however, applicants have defrauded their naturalization applications because it has been low risk, high reward to do so. This administration is rightly denaturalizing those who were convicted of espionage, sexual offenses against minors, and who concealed critical facts from the U.S. government,” she continued. “They were not eligible for naturalization and should be denaturalized and then deported for defrauding the U.S. Government.”

Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Zeale News, “We should not allow people who lie their way into this country or who victimize others to get away with it just because they weren't caught before they were naturalized.”

“It's noteworthy that these cases include not just criminals and warlords but also people who committed immigration fraud,” she added. “This exposes just how porous our vetting process can be, and we need the tool of denaturalization as a backstop for mistakes made earlier in the system.”