Criminal immigrants thought they were untouchable once they got their citizenship papers.
They just learned how wrong they were.
And Pam Bondi unleashed one brutal crackdown that left fraudulent citizens shell-shocked.
DOJ unleashes unprecedented crackdown on fraudulent citizens
Attorney General Pam Bondi isn’t messing around when it comes to cleaning house in America.
Her Department of Justice just dropped a bombshell memo that’s got criminals who lied their way to citizenship absolutely panicking.
A June 11 memo from Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate sends a clear message that the Trump administration won’t tolerate citizenship fraud.¹
The directive orders attorneys to "prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence."¹
Translation: If you lied to become an American citizen, your time is up.
The DOJ has laid out ten specific categories of crimes that will fast-track the citizenship revocation process.
These cover everything from national security threats and war crimes to Medicare fraud and gang involvement.¹
But here’s where it gets really interesting.
First criminal gets citizenship yanked under new policy
Bondi’s team didn’t waste any time proving they mean business.
Elliott Duke, a British national who thought he could game the system, just became the first person to lose his citizenship under this new crackdown.
Duke enlisted in the U.S. Army while still a U.K. citizen and received U.S. citizenship in January 2013.
But there was one tiny problem with his application.
He flat-out lied about his criminal history.
While serving in Germany in 2012, Duke was receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material via email and the internet.
When Duke applied for citizenship in November 2012 and sat for his immigration interview in January 2013, he swore under oath that his only offense was a speeding ticket.²
That lie just destroyed his life.
During a police interview and his plea agreement, Duke admitted to downloading, possessing, and distributing child pornography both before and after becoming a U.S. citizen.
Immigration investigators discovered a horrific collection on Duke’s computer – 168 videos and 187 images depicting child sexual exploitation.²
Duke was convicted of receipt and possession of child pornography on January 23, 2014.
The DOJ filed a complaint against Duke in February 2025 seeking his denaturalization, and on June 13, 2025, a federal judge stripped Duke of his U.S. citizenship.²
"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 US citizenship by concealing their crimes," Shumate declared.¹
Duke’s case was part of "Operation Prison Lookout," a nationwide initiative targeting sex offenders who fraudulently obtained citizenship.¹
Duke is now effectively stateless, having previously renounced his U.K. citizenship when he became an American citizen.
Ten categories of criminals now in the crosshairs
The DOJ memo outlines exactly who they’re targeting, and it’s a comprehensive list that should terrify anyone who thought they could hide behind fraudulent citizenship.
National security threats lead the priority list – terrorists, spies, and anyone trafficking sensitive U.S. technology to foreign adversaries.¹
Drug cartels and criminal gangs are squarely in the crosshairs too.
The memo specifically targets those who helped "criminal gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and drug cartels."¹
COVID loan fraudsters who scammed PPP funds are marked for denaturalization, along with Medicare and Medicaid cheats and anyone who defrauded private individuals or companies.¹
Human traffickers, sex offenders, and violent criminals complete the core target list.
But here’s the kicker – the memo includes a catch-all provision for any cases the Civil Division considers "sufficiently important to pursue."¹
That’s government speak for "nobody’s safe."
This is just the beginning of Trump’s citizenship cleanup
Denaturalization ranks among the DOJ’s top five enforcement priorities under Bondi’s leadership.
The other key priorities include fighting discriminatory practices, ending antisemitism, protecting women and children, and shutting down sanctuary jurisdictions.¹
This represents a complete 180-degree turn from the Biden administration’s catch-and-release mentality.
Under Biden, criminals could game the citizenship system with impunity.
Those days are over.
"If you commit serious crimes before you become a US citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you," Shumate warned.¹
The memo makes clear that these categories are just guidelines – the DOJ retains full discretion to pursue any case they deem appropriate.¹
That means no fraudulent citizen is safe from scrutiny.
America First citizenship means something again
This crackdown sends a powerful message to anyone thinking about lying their way to American citizenship.
The Trump administration takes citizenship seriously, and they’re not afraid to revoke it from those who obtained it through fraud.
For too long, criminals have hidden behind fraudulent citizenship papers while continuing to prey on innocent Americans.
Pam Bondi and her team are putting an end to that scam once and for all.
The days of treating American citizenship like a participation trophy are over.
Under President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, citizenship means something again – and they’re willing to fight to protect its integrity.
¹ Victor Nava, "DOJ memo outlines plans for ‘prioritizing denaturalization’ — aka yanking US citizenship — of individuals charged with certain crimes," New York Post, July 1, 2025.
² "Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Distributor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. Citizenship," U.S. Department of Justice, June 13, 2025.
