Sponsors
The bill expands DOJ's power to undo and criminally pursue fraudulent naturalizations at any time—strengthening enforcement and deterrence but creating substantial long-term uncertainty, legal and economic burdens for naturalized individuals and increased costs for the justice system and taxpayers.
Immigrants and the public: DOJ and federal courts can seek denaturalization and prosecute citizenship-fraud (18 U.S.C. §1425) without a multi-year time bar when fraud or disqualifying conduct is discovered, giving authorities a broader ability to undo and punish fraudulent naturalizations.
Federal enforcement: The bill clarifies which immigration offenses carry a 10-year statute of limitations versus no limit, reducing legal ambiguity for prosecutors and federal agencies.
General public/taxpayers: Strengthening enforcement and removing time limits for certain citizenship fraud offenses increases deterrence and can help protect the integrity of the immigration and naturalization system.
Longtime naturalized citizens and defendants: People who were naturalized long ago could face denaturalization or criminal prosecution decades later, creating long-term legal uncertainty, potential loss of rights, and harder-to-mount defenses due to faded evidence and witnesses.
Immigrants and families: Late litigation risk can impose significant legal costs and destabilize family life, employment, and travel plans for individuals and relatives.
Government and taxpayers: Pursuing older denaturalization and fraud cases could increase DOJ and federal-court workloads and administrative costs, raising resource demands on the justice system and taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 17, 2026 by Thomas Bryant Cotton · Last progress March 17, 2026
Removes the explicit five-year time limit on when naturalization can be revoked and changes federal time limits for prosecuting certain citizenship- and naturalization-related crimes. It creates a 10-year statute of limitations for many related offenses but removes any time limit for prosecutions under the law that criminalizes unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization, allowing those cases to be brought at any time.