In a long-overdue move to restore integrity to the American immigration system, the Biden Justice Department—yes, that DOJ—has issued a new directive aimed at revoking U.S. citizenship from individuals who lied, cheated, or committed serious crimes either before or after becoming naturalized citizens.
In a June 11 memo obtained by media outlets, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate made it clear: the DOJ’s Civil Division is shifting focus to aggressively pursue denaturalization proceedings against individuals who, in many cases, never should’ve been granted citizenship in the first place.
“The Civil Division shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence,” the memo reads.
Finally, a glimmer of sanity from a Justice Department that has too often bent over backward to protect non-citizens and criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans. This shift signals what could be a broader return to America First immigration enforcement, a philosophy pioneered and championed by President Trump.
The Worst of the Worst Targeted
The DOJ outlined ten categories of crimes that could lead to someone being stripped of their U.S. citizenship. These aren’t jaywalkers and tax cheats—these are serious criminals and threats to national security. Among those now eligible for denaturalization:
* War criminals
* Terrorism and espionage suspects
* Members of drug cartels and transnational gangs
* Sex traffickers and child predators
* Perpetrators of PPP loan fraud and Medicare scams
* Individuals who lied about past felonies during the naturalization process
* Anyone whose citizenship was gained through bribery or corruption
In short, the DOJ is targeting individuals who not only gamed the system but often used their ill-gotten status to harm the very country that welcomed them.
“These categories are intended to guide the Civil Division in prioritizing which cases to pursue,” Shumate wrote, emphasizing that the agency retains full discretion to go after any case it deems important.
This is a welcome reversal from years of Democrat-led policies that encouraged lawlessness and prioritized political correctness over public safety.
Real Action, Not Just Rhetoric
This isn’t just bureaucratic bluster. The DOJ has already acted under the new directive.
Just two days after the memo was issued, the DOJ stripped U.S. citizenship from Elliott Duke, a British-born Army enlistee who was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography. Duke had applied for citizenship in 2013, claiming he had never committed a crime. But investigators uncovered that he began collecting and distributing child sexual abuse materials while stationed in Germany in 2012—before he ever became a U.S. citizen.
Duke was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, a DOJ-ICE initiative aimed at identifying sex offenders who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
“The laws intended to facilitate citizenship for brave men and women who join our nation’s armed forces will not shield individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes,” said Shumate in a statement. “If you commit serious crimes before you become a U.S. citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”
A Step in the Right Direction
While critics on the left may predictably scream about “xenophobia” or “targeting immigrants,” most Americans—especially legal immigrants who played by the rules—will applaud this move. Citizenship is not a right to be handed out like candy; it is a privilege that must be earned and protected.
The DOJ’s new priorities include some other surprising shifts, such as ending sanctuary jurisdictions—another Trump-era policy that had been shelved under the Biden administration. Could this memo signal a quiet pivot toward real law enforcement again, even in a Democrat-run DOJ?
Let’s hope so.
Because at the end of the day, the American people want a system that is fair, just, and puts their safety first. That means holding criminals accountable—even if they’re holding a passport they never deserved to begin with.
For once, the DOJ seems to be listening.
