Original Date Announced

Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate issued a memorandum to all DOJ Civil Division employees titled, "Civil Division Enforcement Priorities." The memo outlines five priority areas for enforcement, aligning with directives from President Trump and Attorney General Bondi.

First, the Civil Division is directed to bring affirmative litigation against private-sector entities that engage in unlawful discrimination, especially related to DEI mandates. Attorneys are instructed to use the False Claims Act against recipients of federal funds who violate civil rights laws, as part of the new Civil Rights Fraud Initiative.

Second, the memo directs the Division to combat antisemitism, including by investigating entities that allow or promote antisemitic conduct while receiving federal funds.

Third, attorneys are instructed to investigate and pursue enforcement against entities involved in gender transition procedures on minors. This includes actions under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and False Claims Act against healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and online distributors.

Fourth, the Civil Division is directed to challenge state and local sanctuary policies that obstruct federal immigration enforcement, and to pursue litigation where such laws are preempted.

Fifth, the memo directs attorneys to prioritize denaturalization cases involving national security threats, war criminals, gang members, major fraud, and other serious misconduct. The Division retains discretion to pursue any case supported by law and evidence.

This entry tracks policy changes related to the Civil Division Enforcement Priorities memorandum. For more detailed information on denaturalization cases, see entry 2261.

Trump 2.0 [ID #1820]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.02.12 NBC - Trump Administration Working to Expand Effort to Strip Citizenship from Foreign-Born Americans

NBC News reports that over the past several months, USCIS has been sending experts to its offices around the country or reassigning staff members to focus on denaturalization. Examples of possible offenses justifying denaturalization provided by DOJ include national-security threats, war crimes or torture, Medicaid or Medicare fraud or other forms of fraud against the government, as well as “any other cases ... that the division determines to be sufficiently important to pursue.” So far, sixteen cases have been filed and the administration has won seven.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.05.22 Reported: Trump moves immigration lawyers to DOJ for denaturalization cases - Axios

Axios reports that the administration is temporarily moving immigration lawyers from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to DOJ to work on denaturalization cases.

According to Axios, the transfers reflect a broader administration goal to prioritize citizenship-revocation cases and protect the naturalization process's integrity. A DOJ spokesperson said it welcomed USCIS assistance "to advance the President's mission to promote public safety and root out fraud."