Donald Trump has said he may be willing to take away U.S. citizenship from some people, a statement that has alarmed many and raised questions about how far his immigration policies could go.
This idea, known as denaturalization, would expand his administration’s focus beyond undocumented immigrants to include people who legally became U.S. citizens.
During Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement has intensified. There have been widespread reports of ICE agents carrying out raids and detentions, sometimes involving people who are legally in the country or are already citizens.
While the administration says these actions are meant to improve public safety, critics argue they are creating fear and making communities less safe. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, among others, has said the approach is doing more harm than good.
Immigration has remained one of Trump’s main political priorities, even as his approval ratings on the issue have slipped since returning to office. His comments about denaturalization fit into this broader strategy and signal a tougher stance than before.
In early December, Trump suggested that some people who became U.S. citizens should never have been approved in the first place. He claimed that criminals were naturalized under previous leadership and said that if he has the authority to do so, he would “absolutely” strip them of their citizenship. He also admitted he was not entirely sure whether he legally has that power.
Denaturalization means taking away a person’s citizenship against their will. Once someone is denaturalized, they lose the rights that come with being a citizen and can potentially be deported. Internationally, one well-known example is Shamima Begum, who had her UK citizenship revoked after traveling to Syria as a teenager to join ISIS, leaving her without any nationality.
The idea is highly controversial because it sets a precedent that citizenship, which is usually seen as permanent and secure, can be revoked by the government. Critics worry that this could be used broadly or politically, allowing leaders to target groups or individuals they dislike.
In the United States, denaturalization only applies to people who became citizens through the naturalization process, not those who were born citizens. To qualify for naturalization, a person must be at least 18 years old, be able to read, write, and speak basic English, and demonstrate “good moral character.” They must also meet certain residency or family requirements, such as holding a green card for at least five years, being married to a U.S. citizen for three years, serving in the U.S. military, or being the child of a U.S. citizen.
Under U.S. law, there are generally two situations where denaturalization can be pursued. One is if the person deliberately lied or hid important information during the citizenship application process.
The other is if the person was never actually eligible for citizenship, even if the government failed to catch the issue at the time. For example, if it later comes out that someone committed serious crimes in their home country, they may not have met the “good moral character” requirement.
In practical terms, both reasons come down to either intentional deception by the applicant or a failure by the government to properly vet the person before granting citizenship.
Trump has suggested that certain groups would be targeted more than others. In an interview with the New York Times, he singled out people from Somalia, claiming that many of them “hate our country.” He also made clear that he does not see denaturalization as limited to one group, saying that anyone who “deserves” to be stripped of citizenship should be.
These statements have drawn strong criticism. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts has condemned the idea, calling it xenophobia disguised as policy. Many legal experts and civil rights advocates warn that aggressively pursuing denaturalization could undermine trust in the citizenship system and make naturalized Americans feel permanently vulnerable, no matter how long they have lived in the country or how fully they have built their lives there.
