1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Today I write to ask you to investigate or otherwise stop the DOJ’s attempts to use denaturalization proceedings against Americans. The recent push to “denaturalize” already-naturalized citizens is a terrifying development in the anti-immigrant, anti-nonwhite plans formulated by Stephen Miller and the contributors to Project 2025. While the move is shocking, it is not unprecedented. We know denaturalization has been abused in our nation’s past, and we know how it discriminated against marginalized groups. Just as important, the DOJ’s plans raise serious constitutional issues. Stripping someone of their citizenship, a fundamental right, through civil litigation proceedings where they are not entitled to legal representation and face a lower burden of proof for the government, violates due process protections. The mere threat of this possibility can create a discriminatory, two-tier system of citizenship, where citizens of unfavored national origins—and their families—will not feel safe accessing the justice system or speaking out. While safeguarding national security is important, the broad criteria outlined, including vague offenses like fraud against individuals or the government, grant the DOJ wide discretion to target Americans in an arbitrary manner. The potential ripple effects on children who derived citizenship through affected parents are more than troubling—they are likely to be a wielded as a threat. The revival of denaturalization under this administration, which has reshaped immigration policies through restrictive measures, is alarmingly congruent with its other attempts to silence and disempower citizens who are perceived as non-white or likely to vote for Democrats. Please, publicize and push back against these disturbing plans that undermine core democratic values and the rights enshrined in the 14th Amendment. Citizenship must not be continually opened up for revocation based on manufactured pretexts or overreach by an administration with a concerning track record on immigration. Robust oversight and protecting the sanctity of citizenship for all Americans is imperative.