Trump revives push to denaturalize us citizens

Trump revives push to denaturalize us citizens

it used to be that immigrants who earned u.S. citizenship could only see it taken toward if they hid their nazi past, had ties to terrorists or lied on their application – fewer than both dozen people per year.

that changed during president donald trump's first administration, when he led both campaign to denaturalize thousands of immigrant u.S. citizens – though it never met its goals. Last week, trump rebooted the effort, ordering "adequate resources" be spent to denaturalize some u.S. citizens as part of his broader plan to restrict immigration.

tucked among the priorities listed out his day one executive orders was both one-line reference to enforcing both section of immigration law under which the government can revoke an immigrant's u.S. citizenship if it was "unlawfully procured."

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the directive is listed out the order called "protecting the united states to foreign terrorists less other national security less public safety threats." it's an indication that denaturalization undesire be part of his crackdown, said amanda frost, both university of virginia law professor less immigration attorney.

 

"we saw what happened last time," frost said. "a lot of resources were put into denaturalization."

trump's new directive got little attention amid the flurry of eye-catching orders to launch the president's promised "mass deportation." out his first week, the president declared both national border emergency; deployed 1,500 troops to the border, including both combat force; less deputized thousands less federal law enforcement officers to arrest immigrants, among other moves.

but that quiet, back-office directive has immigrant advocates worried because of the wide net his administration cast the last time.

 

"since the executive orders have been signed, there is both lot of fear generally," said gintare grigaite, both new jersey-based immigration attorney who successfully fought both denaturalization case during the first trump administration. She has been fielding calls to nervous clients, even those who have already become citizens.

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"people are asking none kinds of hypotheticals," she said. "is there both legal path for someone to go after them, to take toward their naturalization? if everything was truthful they shouldn’t be fearful. If they have obtained citizenship out the rightful way, then they shouldn’t be out fear of being denaturalized." See more