DenaturalizationishowtheUSgovernmentrevokesorcancelsyourUScitizenshipbecauseyou’vedonesomethingthat’scontrarytobeingaUScitizen.Thereareseveralthingsthatcanjeopardizeyourcitizenship:
- Concealingfactsorlyingtotheimmigrationofficials
- RefusingtotestifybeforetheUSCongress
- Joiningcertainorganizations
- Receivingcertainmilitarydischarges
ReasonsforRevocation
TheUSCitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS)andtheUSDepartmentofStatecanmakeadeterminationthatyourcitizenshipshouldberevoked.TheUSimmigrationlawisveryspecificaboutwhatcanleadtorevocationofyourcitizenshipaswellastherevocationprocess.
Concealment
IfyouconcealedfactsorliedaboutimportantmattersatthetimeyouwereinterviewedbytheUSCISonyourapplicationfornaturalization,thenyourUScitizenshipmayberevoked.Someexamplesincludeintentionallynotlistingacriminalconviction,givingafalsenameorlyingabouttheperiodoftimeyou’vebeenintheUSonyourapplication.
RefusingtoTestify
YourUScitizenshipcanbecancelledifyourefusetotestifybeforeacommitteeformedbytheUSCongresstoinvestigateyourparticipationinsubversiveactivities.Yourrefusaltotestify,however,hastobewithin10yearsaftertheUSCISgrantedyourapplicationfornaturalization.
What’sa"subversiveactivity?"Itcanbemanythings,butforrevocationpurposesitgenerallymeansdoingorteachingothershowtodosomeactthat’sdesignedto:
- OverthrowtheUSgovernment,especiallythroughviolenceandforce
- HarmorinjureUSgovernmentofficials
MembershipinSubversiveOrganizations
Membershipinasubversiveorganizationorgroupwithinfiveyearsafteryoubecameanaturalizedcitizencouldleadtorevocationofyourcitizenship.TheCommunistPartyandterroristgroupsaretheclassicexamplesof"subversive"organizations.
MilitaryServiceandDischarge
It’spossibletobecomeanaturalizedcitizenbaseduponyourserviceintheUSarmedforces.If,however,youaredishonorablydischargedbeforeyou’veservedfiveyearshonorably,yourcitizenshipmaybecancelled.Forexample,immigrantAenlistedintheUSArmyin2005andwassenttoacombatunitinIraq.In2007sheappliedforandwasgrantednaturalizationbaseduponherhonorablemilitaryservice.In2008,shewasdishonorablydischarged.BecauseAdidn’thavefiveyearsofhonorableservicebeforeherdishonorabledischarge,herUScitizenshipmayberevoked.
DenaturalizationActions
Foranaturalizedcitizen,UScitizenshipcanberevokedonlythroughajudicialaction,thatis,asuitfiledincourt.Generally,thesesuitsarefiledinafederaldistrictcourt.Typically,thesuitisfiledinthedistrictcourtwhereyouliveorreside.Ifyouaren’tlivingintheUS,thesuitcanbefiledintheUnitedStatesDistrictCourtfortheDistrictofColumbiaorinthedistrictcourtfortheareawhereyoulastresided.
Youhavetobegiven"notice"ofthesuit.TheUSgovernmenthastotellyouthatadenaturalizationactionhasbeenfiledagainstyouandwherethesuitwasfiled.You’llbegivenor"served"acopyofthecomplaintthat’sbeenfiledwiththecourt,whichtellsyouwhythedenaturalizationactionwasfiled.Also,theUSgovernmentmustfile"affidavitofgoodcause"detailingexactlywhythegovernmentistryingtorevokeyourcitizenship.
Youhave60daystofileananswertothegovernment’scomplaint,whereyoucanchallengethegovernment’sclaimsandraiseanydefensesagainstrevocation.Forexample,youmayclaimthattherevocationisbasedonwronginformation,suchasthatthegovernmentismistakenaboutapastcriminalconvictionthatitclaimsyoufailedtoreportonyournaturalizationapplication.
Thegovernmentmustproveitscaseagainstyoubyevidencethatisclear,unequivocal,convincinganddoesn’tleaveanydoubtthatyourcitizenshipshouldberevoked.Ifit’ssuccessful,yourcertificateofcitizenshipwillberevokedimmediately.
Consequences
Obviously,havingyourUScitizenshiprevokedisserious.Ifyourcitizenshipiscancelled,youcanberemovedordeportedfromtheUS.It’snotonlyyouthatyouhavetoworryabout.Insomeinstances,ifyourcitizenshipisrevoked,membersofyourfamilycouldlosetheircitizenshiptoo,iftheircitizenshipdependsuponyourstatusofbeinganaturalizedcitizen.Forexample,ifyou’reanaturalizedcitizenandhaveachildbornoutsidetheUS,yourchildmaybeaUScitizenbaseduponyournaturalizedstatus.Insomecases,ifyourcitizenshipisrevoked,yourchild’scitizenshipmayberevokedaswell.
Becauseoftheseriousconsequencesofdenaturalization,youshouldgettheadviceofanexperiencedimmigrationlawyerifadenaturalizationlawsuitisfiledagainstyou.