How could Trump’s denaturalization push impact California? Experts share key facts
Details
- Publish Date:
- July 7, 2025
- Author(s):
-
- Ellis, Maliya ,
- Wu, Jerry
- Source:
- San Francisco Chronicle
- Related Person(s):
Summary
The government cannot denaturalize someone as punishment for acts committed after that person was naturalized, said Lucas Guttentag, a professor at Stanford Law School. Authorities also cannot use past convictions against someone if that person disclosed them properly when naturalized, he said.
Denaturalization cases are argued in federal court, but it is possible that Californians could benefit from more sympathetic jurors in a criminal case. For civil cases, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, headquartered in San Francisco, has a history of being protective of naturalized citizens, Guttentag said.
Guttentag said most naturalized citizens shouldn’t be alarmed because of legal precedent and the relatively high burden of proof required to denaturalize.
“There’s a big risk of abuse of the denaturalization power here, but the Supreme Court, the courts generally, have been very protective of naturalized citizens,” Guttentag said.
“It’s another attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate and frighten people into not opposing it, to acquiescing,” Guttentag said.