Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., announced plans Thursday to introduce legislation allowing the U.S. government to denaturalize and deport naturalized citizens who commit or support terrorism, citing a recent string of attacks involving immigrants who obtained citizenship.
The bill would permit denaturalization and deportation of any naturalized citizen who commits an act of terror, plots to unleash terror, joins a terrorist group or otherwise aids and abets terrorism. Almost immediately, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, and Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., vowed to support the measure.
What the Right Is Saying
Moore called the recent attacks a "horrific pattern" of naturalized citizens committing acts of terror against Americans that "must end." Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who is sponsoring companion legislation in the Senate, posted on X that "we must pass the SCAM Act so we can denaturalize & deport those who are here to hurt Americans." Schmitt argued that "under current law, it is practically impossible to denaturalize these terrorists" and that the legislation would "allow the Trump admin to denaturalize and deport those who should never have been granted citizenship in the first place." The Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act would expand grounds for denaturalization to include terrorism, fraud, espionage or felonies committed within 10 years of becoming a citizen.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics have raised concerns about the constitutionality of retroactive citizenship revocation and the potential for discriminatory enforcement. Immigration advocacy organizations argue that denaturalization based on post-citizenship conduct could set a dangerous precedent, potentially affecting naturalized citizens who have been convicted of serious crimes but did not engage in terrorism. Civil liberties groups note that existing law already allows denaturalization in cases of fraud during the citizenship process, and expanding this power could create a two-tiered system of citizenship rights. Some Democratic lawmakers have called for focusing on enforcement of existing immigration laws rather than creating new denaturalization pathways, arguing that the proposals could target naturalized citizens unfairly based on their country of origin or religious background.
What the Numbers Show
Under current law, the U.S. government may strip citizenship from a naturalized individual only in very limited circumstances, primarily when citizenship was obtained through fraud. The government must meet a high standard of proof to demonstrate that fraud occurred during the citizenship process. This week alone, incidents included a vehicle-ramming attempt at a Michigan synagogue, a shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia that killed one ROTC student, an alleged bomb plot outside the New York mayor's mansion, and a shooting in Austin, Texas that killed three people and injured over a dozen. The suspects in these cases were naturalized citizens from Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Turkey and Afghanistan, and Senegal.
The Bottom Line
The legislative proposal faces significant legal and constitutional questions about retroactive punishment and equal protection under the law. The SCAM Act, introduced in the House by Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., would need to clear both chambers and address potential constitutional challenges regarding the revocation of citizenship for conduct occurring after naturalization. Immigration advocates and some legal scholars argue that such measures could face court challenges, while supporters contend the legislation is necessary to protect national security. The debate reflects broader tensions over immigration enforcement and the balance between due process rights and public safety concerns.