Trump Admin Audits Cases Of Somali U.S. Citizens For Potential Denaturalization

Trump's administration said on Tuesday it was auditing immigration cases involving U.S. citizens of Somali origin to detect fraud that could lead to denaturalization, or revocation of citizenship.

WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s administration said on Tuesday it was auditing immigration cases involving U.S. citizens of Somali origin to detect fraud that could lead to denaturalization, or revocation of citizenship.

“Under U.S. law, if an individual procures citizenship on a fraudulent basis, that is grounds for denaturalization,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that was first reported by Fox News and reposted by the White House on social media.Denaturalization cases are rare and can take years. According to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, about 11 cases were pursued per year between 1990 and 2017.

Since taking office in January, Trump has pursued a hardline immigration policyinvolvingaggressive deportation drive, revocations of visas and green cards, and screening of social media posts and past speeches of immigrants.

Human rights groups widely condemn Trump’s policies, saying they curb rights like due process and free speech. Trump and his allies say the policies aim to improve domestic security.

Federal officials in recent weeks have portrayed Minnesota’s Somali community as a hotspot for fraud involving millions of federal dollars intended for social services. Immigrant-rights advocates say the administration is using the fraud investigations as an excuse to target Somali immigrants more broadly.