Trump could strip citizenship from thousands of people who are already naturalized in the US. What once seemed like a distant threat no longer feels so far off… Under the new mandate from the Department of Justice with Trump in charge, thousands of naturalized citizens in the United States could lose their citizenship. The reason? Mistakes made decades ago, technicalities, omissions, small inaccuracies on forms. Everything counts, and it’s deeply unfair. And the worst part is that this new approach is being framed as a matter of “national security”, security for whom?
A poorly written signature, a badly translated document… and your citizenship is at stake
Until now, citizenship was seen as a firm, stable right, something that couldn’t be taken away without a serious reason. But with this new approach, it’s enough for someone to review your file and find an old irregularity for your status to be questioned… If you were born in the US, nothing happens, of course. But if you naturalized, you’re no longer safe. This way, two kinds of citizens are being created: those who are protected… and those who can lose everything in an instant.
The legal plan: go all in
The new memo from the Department of Justice doesn’t beat around the bush: the goal is to pursue all possible causes of denaturalization, even if the evidence is old or the error is very small. Ten priority categories have been set (war crimes, fraud…), but it also leaves the door open for “other significant cases”. And who decides what counts there? The government, of course.
A process without the guarantees of a criminal trial
Unlike deportation, denaturalization targets people who already have citizenship. And this is where it all gets tricky: most of these cases are handled in civil court, not criminal. What does that mean in practice?
No right to a free attorney if you can’t afford one.
No jury trial.
And the burden of proof is lower: “clear and convincing” evidence is enough, without needing to prove anything beyond a reasonable doubt…
In other words, they can take away your citizenship with fewer protections than someone accused of petty theft.
What changed everything
For decades, taking away someone’s citizenship was something exceptional, reserved for extreme cases. Since 1967, thanks to the Afroyim v. Rusk ruling, revocation was only allowed if fraud in the naturalization process could be proven. In fact, citizenship was recognized as “the right to have rights”. This new approach directly contradicts that doctrine. Because now, serious fraud isn’t necessary: a technical error or omission might be enough.
Real cases that are alarming
The case of Baljinder Singh is one of the most talked about. He lost his citizenship over a discrepancy in his name, probably due to a translator’s mistake. Another woman, naturalized in 2007, helped her boss with some paperwork, not knowing that years later it would be linked to fraud. She was never charged with anything, she cooperated with the FBI… but now they want to strip her citizenship for not mentioning it in her application. That’s how fragile everything has become.
A second-class citizenship?
This legal crackdown has triggered serious alarm. There are about 20 million naturalized citizens in the US, and many are already living in fear. A simple mistake from years ago can put you on the radar! Meanwhile, those born in the country don’t face that level of scrutiny. The result is an unequal system: some citizens have guaranteed rights, while others have conditional ones.
The damage is already done
Constitutional law experts are already warning that lawsuits will come, yes, but they may arrive too late. The mere fact that citizenship is no longer “permanent” is enough for many naturalized citizens to think twice before participating in politics, out of fear of retaliation… And that’s exactly what weakens a democracy: people being afraid to exercise their rights, isn’t it?
Mass reviews are already underway and denaturalization cases are expected to rise in the coming months… Where is the American dream now, Mr. Trump?