Trump Administration Is Denaturalizing U.S. Citizens Suspected of Fraud

In a previous article, we discussed that one reason that the wait time and backlogs for U.S. citizenship applications have increased so significantly is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (“USCIS’s”) focus on investigating thousands of old citizenship applications for any potential signs of fraud, seeking to rescind citizenship. (“Why Has the Wait Time for U.S. Citizenship Applications Doubled?”)

In the past, this type of effort targeted human rights abusers; such as Nazis or war criminals trying to escape prosecution under assumed identities. The current investigation is focused on identifying any error or omission in an individual’s naturalization paperwork. This has concerned immigrant advocates about a potential for this effort to be used to denaturalize U.S. citizens by identifying minor errors in their naturalization applications. The Trump administration rejects this notion and has asserted that it does not plan on pursuing deportations based on technicalities.

Regardless of Trump administration’s plan, you should ensure that your U.S. citizenship application is accurate and complete prior to submission. Not doing so could result in serious immigration consequences that may not be reversed.

Our experienced immigration attorneys can assist you in preparing your application packet, and advise you on what to expect at the interview to ensure a smooth approval process. For additional questions on the U.S. citizenship process, or any other immigration matter, contact our attorneys at 312.641.0771.