A newly revealed memo from the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump directs federal attorneys to prioritize denaturalization proceedings against naturalized U.S. citizens, raising alarm over civil liberties and immigration policy.

The Trump administration has taken a significant step in reshaping U.S. immigration and citizenship policy by issuing a new directive aimed at revoking the citizenship of certain naturalized Americans. A Justice Department memo, published on June 11, instructs government attorneys to pursue denaturalization through civil proceedings, particularly targeting individuals accused of criminal behavior, fraud, or national security threats.

The controversial move could affect some of the 25 million Americans born abroad who have acquired U.S. citizenship through naturalization. The memo outlines ten priority categories for denaturalization, including individuals who have allegedly committed war crimes, engaged in extrajudicial killings, or posed ongoing threats to national security. It also includes lesser offenses such as making false statements on immigration forms or committing financial or medical fraud.

Critics argue the policy creates a dangerous precedent by applying a double standard to naturalized citizens. Unlike criminal trials, civil proceedings do not guarantee the right to an attorney, and the burden of proof for the government is significantly lower. Legal advocates warn that this could strip individuals of their citizenship without the robust protections normally afforded in the U.S. legal system.

“It is kind of, in a way, trying to create a second class of U.S. citizens,” said Sameera Hafiz, policy director of the Immigration Legal Resource Center, in an interview with NPR.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have already started implementing the directive. The first known case under the new rule resulted in the denaturalization of Elliott Duke, a U.S. military veteran originally from the UK, who was convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material. Duke’s prior criminal conviction had not been disclosed during his naturalization process.

The DOJ memo also grants attorneys broader discretion to revoke citizenship in cases referred by U.S. Attorneys or tied to pending criminal investigations. This sweeping power, combined with limited legal recourse for the accused, has sparked widespread concern among civil rights groups and immigration attorneys.

At the same time, the Justice Department’s civil rights division is undergoing internal upheaval. Reports indicate that nearly 70% of its attorneys have departed since January 2025, amid a radical shift in priorities under Trump’s leadership—most notably the dismantling of diversity and inclusion initiatives and the legal targeting of transgender health programs.

The denaturalization push coincides with broader enforcement trends, including ICE's aggressive deportation operations and a marked increase in in-custody immigrant deaths. Meanwhile, the DOJ has also taken the unprecedented step of suing 15 federal judges in Maryland who temporarily blocked deportations, further deepening tensions between the executive and judicial branches.

The implications of the new denaturalization policy are far-reaching. Legal experts fear it could undermine trust in the immigration system and deter lawful permanent residents from seeking naturalization. Furthermore, the fact that individuals can now lose their citizenship in civil court — without a jury, without a lawyer, and based on a lower evidentiary threshold — challenges foundational American values about equality and due process.

As the administration continues to pursue its hardline immigration agenda, this latest move underscores a broader strategy to redefine what it means to be an American — and who gets to stay one.

Source : The Guardian