Americans to be stripped of citizenship under “Nazi law”

Reported by  Kokche News Agency
A law previously used to strip citizenship and deport former Nazis who lied about their past to obtain U.S. citizenship may be expanded under President Donald Trump’s administration. According to CNN International, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has signaled that this legal tool could be applied more broadly to individuals considered a “potential threat to national security.”

In a notification sent to lawyers last month, the DOJ reportedly urged that “denaturalization efforts” should target a wider audience. The law in question, which has been used for decades to deport former Nazis who falsified their records or hid their illegal pasts, could now be applied to a broader range of individuals.

“Aim is to Instill Fear in Immigrants”
The DOJ’s June notification reportedly prioritized targeting individuals who have committed violent crimes, are members of gangs or drug cartels, or have engaged in fraud. However, many experts and officials believe the move is intended to instill fear among legal immigrants across the country.

Cassandra Burke Robertson, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, expressed concern to CNN, stating, “The politicization of citizenship rights really worries me. I think it’s completely inconsistent with our democratic system.”

From Communists to Nazis
The law, which may now be expanded, was first implemented during the tenure of former President Kevin Owen McCarthy to target communists. Later, in 1979, the DOJ established a unit to deport hundreds of individuals who aided Nazis.

Eli Rosenbaum, who led this unit for years, helped strip citizenship or deport around 100 people, earning him the nickname “Nazi hunter.”

The law has been expanded before. During the Obama administration, it was used in “Operation Janus,” which targeted individuals who stole identities to obtain citizenship.

In 2020, during his first term, President Trump attempted to expand denaturalization efforts by establishing an office within the DOJ. However, the office was quietly disbanded under President Joe Biden.