Getting through the immigrantion system can be rough. In order to achieve citizenship, immigrants in California and elsewhere will go through an extensive review process that can take time, may be confusing and does not always yield the desired results. For those who do finally achieve their citizenship, there is valid concern about that status being stripped from them down the line.
Like it or not, citizenship can be taken away after it has been granted. Does this happen often? No. In fact, it is considered to be very rare. There are certain grounds for denaturalization, though, all of which immigrants should probably be aware.
If a person, who is not a natural-born citizen, is found to have violated the terms of his or her citizenship, he or she will likely be asked to leave the country. What are the official grounds for denaturalization? A few include:
- Falsification/concealment of facts
- Membership or association with terrorist or other subversive groups
- Dishonorable discharge from the military
The denaturalization process is started after a complaint is filed against a naturalized citizen. This individual will be given approximately 60 days to answer the complaint. The decision to take away a person’s citizenship is not taken lightly — a high burden of proof is required before this action is taken. Those who have achieved naturalization, whether they live in California or elsewhere, can seek legal assistance in fighting any accusations of citizenship violations. If denaturalization is ordered, these individuals will also have the ability to appeal such decisions and seek approval to remain in the country.
Source: FindLaw, “Can Your U.S. Citizenship Be Revoked?“, Accessed on Sept. 16, 2015
