de-Naturalization and inSecurity
In 2018, the Trump Administration established a new office to investigate and take away the citizenship of people who illegally obtained citizenship by concealing a material fact or willfully misrepresenting a material fact.
So, in the past, when I advised clients that citizenship is the safest, most secure status for them, that advice may not be completely accurate at this time. Citizenship may not be permanent and yes, it can be taken away... IF there was misrepresentation that occurred in the process.
For this reason, it is extremely important that you seek the advice of a competent immigration lawyer for the citizenship process, and that you tell that lawyer the COMPLETE truth.
Sometimes, my best advice to a client is to NOT file for citizenship, because the filing will put him/her in a harmful way.
If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges, it is very important to tell the criminal attorney where you were born, the date of naturalization and the date the application was submitted.
A person cannot be stripped of citizenship status if the crime was committed AFTER naturalization, but you can be stripped of citizenship if the crime occurred BEFORE citizenship was granted.
Now, more than ever, it is important to be aware of the changes in our immigration policies — even for those who are permanent residents.
I encourage all permanent residents to complete the process, become a citizen if you can, and participate in our government process. But, above all, protect your rights and be cautious when dealing with this very difficult agency called Homeland Security.
