YELLOW Alert — Denaturalization Quota Program¶
Alert Level: YELLOW — Systematic citizenship revocation targeting 26 million naturalized Americans
Date Opened: February 13, 2026
Status: ACTIVE — Quotas in effect at USCIS field offices nationwide
What Is Happening¶
The Trump administration has directed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to produce 100 to 200 denaturalization case referrals per month per field office. With 88 field offices, this could generate over 100,000 referrals per year — compared to a historical average of 11 cases per year from 1990 to 2017.
On June 11, 2025, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate issued an internal memo elevating denaturalization to one of the DOJ Civil Division's top five enforcement priorities.
This is not targeted enforcement. This is a quota-driven bureaucratic machine designed to create a permanent class of second-class Americans.
Why This Is a YELLOW Alert¶
This alert is classified YELLOW (Cover-Up / Systematic Threat) because:
- 26 million naturalized citizens are potentially affected
- No statute of limitations — decades-old applications can be targeted
- No right to appointed counsel — citizens must hire their own lawyers
- Quota pressure creates perverse incentives to pursue weak cases
- Chilling effect — legal permanent residents afraid to apply for citizenship
- Disproportionate targeting of Latino, Black, Muslim, and Asian communities documented
The Machinery¶
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| USCIS field offices | Review naturalization files; generate 100-200 referrals/month |
| DOJ Office of Immigration Litigation | Prosecutes denaturalization cases in federal court |
| DOJ Denaturalization Section | Reconstituted from Trump's first term; coordinates strategy |
| Project 2025 (Heritage Foundation) | Blueprint on pages 143-144; called for "re-implementation of USCIS Denaturalization Unit" |
Key Facts¶
- Between 1990 and 2017: ~11 cases per year nationally
- Trump first term (2017-2021): ~170 cases total
- New target: 100-200 per field office per month
- Supreme Court (Maslenjak v. United States, 2017): Only material misrepresentations can support denaturalization — minor errors are not enough
- Civil denaturalization has no statute of limitations and defendants have no right to appointed counsel
Connection to Other Infrastructure¶
This program is one prong of a broader effort to redefine citizenship:
- SAVE Act — DHS database controlling voter eligibility
- Birthright citizenship executive order — Before SCOTUS
- Operation Metro Surge — 4,000+ arrested; targeting communities where many naturalized citizens live
Monitoring¶
We are tracking:
- DOJ filings in federal courts — how many cases actually reach court
- USCIS staffing changes — reassignment from application processing to denaturalization review
- Community impact — naturalization application rates, legal aid demand
- Legal challenges — ACLU, Brennan Center, AILA actions
- Congressional response — oversight hearings, legislation
Full Report¶
Read the full intelligence report →
Sources: NPR, NBC News, Brennan Center, ACLU, Truthout, The Hill, Washington Post, DOJ Shumate Memo