Trump’s Hardline Immigration Shift Sparks New Fears Among Naturalized Americans

The Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown has triggered fresh concern among naturalized U.S. citizens, following President Donald Trump’s remarks that he would “absolutely” revoke the citizenship of certain Americans if granted the legal authority. His comments came amid a heightened government response to the recent deadly attack on National Guard members, which officials have used to justify stronger enforcement measures across the immigration system.

Trump argued that some criminals gained citizenship due to what he called “lax policies” under the Biden administration, and indicated he would rescind their status if possible. He also issued harsh criticism of Somali immigrants and signaled a long-term freeze on new asylum claims. Under current law, revoking citizenship requires the government to prove its case in federal court, and only in instances of fraud or serious violations. Still, the renewed rhetoric has raised anxieties among immigrants who obtained citizenship through the legal naturalization process.

Despite extensive research showing immigrants commit fewer crimes than U.S.-born citizens—with a 2023 Stanford study finding immigrants are incarcerated at far lower rates—the Justice Department earlier instructed attorneys to prioritize denaturalization cases involving war crimes, gang violence, extrajudicial killings, and other major human-rights violations. While denaturalization remains extremely rare historically, filings increased during Trump’s first term and have continued into the current administration.

Out of the 46.2 million immigrants living in the United States as of 2022, more than 24 million are naturalized citizens—over half the total immigrant population. Yet the government has identified thousands of potential denaturalization cases since 2017, and at least one individual has lost citizenship this year for child exploitation offenses committed before naturalization.

The administration is now preparing two major policy shifts likely to affect green card holders and applicants directly. In the wake of the National Guard attack, federal authorities ordered a new round of security reviews for green cards issued to citizens of 19 countries. Asylum processing has also been suspended while new guidelines are developed. Officials say stricter documentation reviews, expanded interviews, and deeper background checks are all being considered.

The U.S. has imposed full immigration bans on nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, while citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela face partial restrictions. Former DHS officials say applicants from these countries should expect longer waits and expanded biometric requirements.

Beginning December 26, the U.S. will implement a new universal biometric entry–exit system for all non-citizen travelers, including permanent residents. Fingerprints, photographs or iris scans will be collected at airports, seaports and land borders, with previous exemptions eliminated. Immigration attorneys warn the policy could later influence citizenship applications, continuous residency requirements or even green card renewals.

Roughly 12.8 million green card holders currently live in the United States, many of whom may now face heightened scrutiny. Trump has said he intends to permanently restrict immigration from what he termed “poorer nations” and remove individuals he believes are “not assets” to the country. Critics argue the administration is using a single tragic event as justification for broad punitive policies that undermine due process and destabilize the asylum system.

Further guidance from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is expected in the coming weeks, leaving millions of immigrants uncertain about how the new rules may affect their long-term status.