Public Deserves Answers on Denaturalization Plans

Washington, DC – In the face of mounting evidence that the Trump administration is abusing wartime powers to target immigrant communities and concerns that they may wrongly strip Americans of their citizenship, Democracy Forward has filed a sweeping series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with key federal agencies to uncover the scope of this unprecedented and unlawful effort.

The 14 public records requests were sent to the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and their component agencies. They seek records related to efforts to revive or expand denaturalization programs, including internal communications about “Operation Second Look,” coordination with political appointees affiliated with the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), and use of statutory tools to revoke naturalized citizenship—all potentially violating due process rights.

“Stripping people of their citizenship is one of the most extreme actions a government can take. Reports of these efforts are deeply troubling and echo some of the darkest chapters in our history,” said Dan McGrath, Senior Oversight Counsel at Democracy Forward. “We are using every legal tool available to ensure the public gets the truth about what their government is doing behind closed doors. These actions must be brought to light.”

The FOIA requests follow Democracy Forward’s ongoing litigation against the administration’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, J.G.G. v. Trump, a centuries-old wartime law that the government is now using to justify the secretive deportation of noncitizens with no due process. The requests and ongoing litigation are part of Democracy Forward’s efforts to expose and stop attempts to sidestep federal immigration laws and corrupt the foundational rights of citizenship and due process.

In the first 100 days of the Trump administration, Democracy Forward has submitted more than 700 FOIA requests and filed 7 FOIA lawsuits. Investigations have spanned some of the most pressing crises, from the unprecedented actions of DOGE run by Elon Musk, to the widespread and illegal firings of thousands of civil servants, to attacks on federal funding and abuses of power at the senior-most levels of our government. 

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Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.