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.