What Are Grounds for Denaturalization?
Just because you successfully completed the naturalization application and interview processes and you are now naturalized, you must take further actions to ensure that you can maintain your United States citizenship. That is, if the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) suspects you of disobeying federal or state laws in any way, they may file a denaturalization action against you to the federal court. With a negative outcome, this can strip you, and even your children, of citizenship, and you can be removed from the country. Read on to discover common grounds the USCIS makes for denaturalization and how one of the seasoned attorneys at our Lyndhurst naturalization law firm, The Law Offices of Salvatore A. Falletta, LLC, can come to your defense.
What are common grounds the USCIS makes for denaturalization?
Say, for instance, that you were granted citizenship in the U.S. because of your service in the military. Now, say that you were discharged before serving a full five years and on dishonorable grounds (i.e., desertion, sexual assault, etc). When the USCIS finds this out, they may call for your denaturalization.
Another example is if you refuse to testify before the U.S. congressional committee regarding suspicions of your subversive actions (i.e., intention to overthrow U.S. officials or government entities). Notably, you are required to follow this for the first 10 years of your naturalization in the U.S. Similar to this is if you were indeed caught being involved in a subversive group (i.e., the Nazi Party, Al Qaeda, etc). Notably, you are required to follow this for the first five years of your naturalization in the U.S. If you do not cooperate with these rules, the USCIS may seek your denaturalization.
And lastly, you must not falsify facts or conceal relevant facts in your initial naturalization application and interview. That is, you must answer the whole truth about your criminal history and your true identity. Because even after the USCIS grants you naturalization, they can just as easily take it away if your lies are unearthed.
What should I do if I may be denaturalized?
Once the USCIS believes they have grounds to denaturalize you from the U.S., they will file a formal complaint against you. Upon receiving this complaint, you have only 60 days to file an answer to the complaint. In your response, you may state that this action is baseless or that the statute of limitations has passed, among other defenses.
Rest assured, one of the competent attorneys from our Lyndhurst family & individual immigration law firm is ready to step in and handle this complaint. We will do everything in our power to protect your citizenship in this country, so schedule your initial consultation with us today.
