Nationwide Denaturalization Defense
The federal government is filing civil lawsuits to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans at a pace not seen in decades. These letters carry short deadlines — often two weeks or less — and the stakes could not be higher. Attorney Dan Gividen has prosecuted these exact cases for the United States. Now he defends against them.
If your letter has a response deadline, do not wait. Extensions are sometimes granted — never guaranteed — and every day that passes narrows your options.
Call 972-256-8641In June 2025, the Department of Justice directed its attorneys to "prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence." The result has been a historic surge in civil denaturalization lawsuits filed in federal courts across the country.
Many of these cases reach back decades — to a name used at a border crossing in the 1990s, a hearing a person barely remembers, or a question on a form filled out a generation ago. The government's letters typically arrive by certified mail from a U.S. Attorney's Office, cite 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a), and offer a brief window to "negotiate" before a lawsuit is filed.
It is important to understand how abnormal this is. For decades, denaturalization was one of the rarest actions in federal law — reserved for the worst of the worst, such as war criminals, mass murderers, and those who committed crimes against children. That is no longer the operating principle. The current campaign is targeting anyone and everyone whose decades-old file contains something the government thinks it can use — quite literally, people's grandmothers are among those receiving these letters.
Sources: DOJ Civil Division memorandum (June 2025); TRAC federal court filings data; national press reporting on DOJ enforcement plans.
These letters typically give roughly two weeks to respond before the government files suit. An attorney who contacts the assigned government lawyer promptly can request an extension — sometimes granted, never guaranteed. What is certain is that ignoring the deadline forfeits whatever opportunity the pre-filing window offers.
Do not talk to, respond to, or otherwise discuss the letter you received with any government official whatsoever without an attorney. The letter invites you to "resolve this matter" — but under the current campaign, "negotiation" may not mean what it usually means. In many cases it is simply an offer to let you surrender your citizenship so the government does not have to file a complaint: they give nothing, and you give away everything. Whether your case is one where a genuine resolution is possible is an assessment for counsel — never something to explore alone.
Citizenship can only be revoked by a federal judge, and only on proof that is "clear, convincing, and unequivocal." Decades-old allegations often rest on thin records, missing documents, and facts the government itself knew about when it granted your citizenship.
Denaturalization cases live at the intersection of federal litigation, immigration law, and fraud allegations. Very few attorneys in the United States have meaningful experience in all three. Dan Gividen has spent his career on every side of these exact cases:
"Whether or not you hire me, hire someone qualified. These cases are federal lawsuits about fraud and immigration law, tried in U.S. District Court. The attorney you choose should have real federal trial experience, deep immigration-fraud knowledge, and — ideally — time inside the agencies that build these cases."
— Dan Gividen
Dan published the four qualifications he believes any solo or lead counsel in a civil denaturalization case should have — a checklist you can use with any lawyer you interview, including him.
How to Choose a Denaturalization Defense AttorneyMost people facing this process have never heard of denaturalization before the letter arrived. Understanding what the government must prove — and what it cannot — is the first step in making good decisions.
A civil lawsuit in federal court under 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a) seeking to cancel your naturalization. Only a federal judge can revoke citizenship.
Either that citizenship was "illegally procured" or that it was obtained by willful misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact — by clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence.
Can I lose my home or license? What happens to my family? Can I travel? What if I'm outside the U.S. right now? Plain-language answers.
Every case begins with a confidential consultation — a careful review of your letter, your history, and the realistic paths forward. No pressure, no scare tactics.
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