On June 11, 2025, the Civil Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum announcing its enforcement priorities under the Trump administration. Under the memo, among other things, a policy shift heightens the priority of civil denaturalization enforcement. The memo lists a variety of non-exhaustive prioritized categories for denaturalization. The Civil Division, however, “retains the discretion to pursue cases outside of these categories as it determines appropriate.”
Attorneys advise foreign-born U.S. citizens with concerns about possible misrepresentations during the immigration or naturalization process or other issues to consider talking with an immigration attorney. Individuals concerned about denaturalization should also speak with an attorney before traveling abroad, as pending litigation or findings of fraud could impact re-entry or passport renewal.
Another priority under the memo is “ending sanctuary jurisdictions.” The memo states that “[c]onsistent with this directive, the Civil Division shall prioritize affirmative litigation to invalidate any State or local laws preempted by Federal law.”
