US Department of Justice Starts Process to Revoke Citizenship of Several Naturalized Citizens
Introduction
The United States Department of Justice has started legal actions to take away the citizenship of twelve people who are accused of using fraud to become citizens.
Main Body
The government is now using denaturalization more frequently than in the past. Between 1990 and 2017, the Department of Justice filed an average of eleven such cases per year. However, recent data shows a sharp increase, with fifteen citizenships revoked since January 2025. This change is happening because the administration has assigned more staff to find cases of fraud. Officials emphasized that these steps are necessary to protect the integrity of the naturalization process and fix serious violations. The twelve individuals involved come from various countries, including India, China, and Nigeria. The accusations are severe, ranging from supporting terrorist groups to committing war crimes. For example, Debashis Ghosh from India allegedly hid a $2.5 million investment fraud during his application in 2012. Furthermore, the government is targeting Victor Manuel Rocha, a former US Ambassador to Bolivia. Rocha admitted that he worked as a secret agent for the Cuban government for about fifty years, which means his 1978 citizenship application was fraudulent. These legal actions are governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act and Supreme Court rulings. Denaturalization only applies to naturalized citizens and requires a federal court order. This can be achieved through a civil lawsuit with strong evidence or a criminal conviction. While the administration wants to increase these revocations, legal experts suggest that courts may resist this trend. This is because judges have traditionally viewed denaturalization as a limited tool for fraud, rather than a general way to enforce immigration laws.
Conclusion
The Department of Justice will continue to target individuals accused of fraud, but this new policy may face legal challenges in court.
Learning
⚡ The 'Upgrade' Logic: Moving from A2 to B2
At the A2 level, you use basic words to describe things. To reach B2, you need precision. Instead of saying "The government is taking away citizenship," the text uses "Revoke."
The Power Word: Revoke
- A2 version: To take back / To cancel.
- B2 version: To revoke (specifically used for laws, licenses, or official statuses).
🛠️ Linguistic Pivot: "The Result Chain"
B2 students don't just list facts; they connect them using Logical Connectors. Look at how the article moves from a fact to a reason:
"This change is happening because the administration has assigned more staff..."
To sound more professional (B2), you can replace "because" with "Due to the fact that" or "Owing to."
Example Transformation:
- A2: The man lost his passport because he lied.
- B2: The man's citizenship was revoked owing to the fraudulent nature of his application.
🧐 Nuance Alert: "Allegedly"
In A2 English, we say "He did it" or "He didn't do it." In B2 academic or legal English, we use Hedging. This means we avoid being 100% certain when something isn't proven yet.
The Key Term: Allegedly
- What it means: People say he did it, but a judge hasn't decided yet.
- How to use it: "Debashis Ghosh allegedly hid a $2.5 million investment fraud."
Try this shift in your mind:
- ❌ "He is a criminal." (Too simple/risky)
- ✅ "He is allegedly involved in criminal activity." (B2 Professional)
📈 Vocabulary Ladder
| A2 Word (Simple) | B2 Word (Text) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| Big increase | Sharp increase | Describes the speed and angle of the change. |
| Important | Necessary | Focuses on the requirement rather than just value. |
| Use | Enforce | Specifically refers to making a law be followed. |