Case findings and conclusions are based on case status as of May 2019. Some case files are partially or wholly under seal and thus inaccessible. In many cases reviewed, the defendant was accused of using aliases or conflicting biographical data. All information was catalogued in such cases; however, for practical statistical analysis, data stipulated in answers filed through the assistance of counsel or, in lieu of this, the information that served as the basis for naturalization was used. Based on interviews conducted in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley in January 2019, the Justice Initiative commissioned empirical research on citizenship cases in the Southern District of Texas. Qualitative information furnished by practitioners in this region suggests the U.S. government has changed its strategy and behavior in such cases. It appears the government is now refusing or otherwise failing to resolve cases at the administrative level within the Department of State and adopting a more aggressive approach to litigation when challenges to denial of citizenship are brought by claimants in federal court. In total, 111 cases filed between August 3, 2014 and May 31, 2019 were analyzed. These cases provide insight into immigration law enforcement trends regarding passport revocation and denials during this period, which are incorporated in relevant sections of this report.13 18 UNMAKING AMERICANS

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents