The government is increasingly using denaturalization as part of its increasingly strict stance towards immigration enforcement. Initially averaging only eleven cases a year, denaturalization rates have steadily increased since 2017. The Department of Justice (DOJ) even issued a memo placing denaturalization as a top enforcement priority on June 11, 2025.

Denaturalization is the process of stripping an individual of their U.S. citizenship as punishment for certain crimes. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees that citizenship cannot be taken away without due process. As such, legal denaturalization takes time. Individuals can lose their citizenship if:

• They lied to get their citizenship.
• Becomes a member of or affiliated with groups recognized as a terrorist organization within five years of naturalization.
• Getting citizenship through a relative or spouse that loses theirs.
• They are criminally convicted of naturalization fraud.
• They got citizenship through military service and were dishonorably discharged.
• Refused, under specified circumstances, to testify before a congressional committee on alleged subversive activities.

Individuals born in the United States can also lose their citizenship if:

• They commit treason against the U.S.
• They naturalize or declare allegiance to a foreign state after they reach eighteen years of age.
• They work for or join the armed forces of a foreign government

As part of the June memo, the DOJ laid out many additional factors that would qualify for denaturalization. These factors include:

• Any citizen the DOJ deems important enough to pursue. Said importance is up to the individual immigration agent, as there are no official guidelines.
• Citizens deemed a danger to national security.
• Citizens who collaborated, or associated in any way with, organized crime groups or gangs.
• Citizens who committed financial fraud against the U.S. government or corporations.
• Individuals who received citizenship as a result of government corruption, such as bribery.
• Those referred to denaturalization in connection with any criminal pending charges.

These much broader standards grant the DOJ and immigration agents a fair degree of discretionary power in deciding if an individual is or is not deserving of denaturalization. There’s also no obligation for immigration agents to inform individuals that their citizenship has been revoked. Individuals stripped of citizenship cannot legally reapply for it.

As always, Immigration USA actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, please contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws and policy updates. In an ever-evolving immigration landscape, we’re with you every step of the way.