Trump's Justice Department has made stripping citizenship from some naturalized citizens a priority. The legal reality is that once you’ve obtained citizenship, you have a constitutional right to keep it, @NoahRFeldman says (via @opinion) https://t.co/Sb2MuBd9zz ...

Creeping autocracy doesn't just roll onto Main Street with tanks. Though under President Donald Trump, one might argue we're closer to that sort of thing than we'd like to admit. More often, autocracy starts with a list, a government list, then more lists, then bigger lists, and the names on those lists begin to face the full force of the state with blatant disregard for the rule of law and for basic constitutional rights.If you followed our coverage, you know the warning. Autocrats don't go after the avera ...

Political Climate & National Sentiment - A new poll indicates that 34% of Americans believe democracy is under serious threat and view politically motivated violence as a major problem [1] - There is a rising distrust in democracy, with concerns about the rule of law and the Constitution [3] - The nation faces a test of citizenship, questioning the willingness to call issues fairly [4] - Polling suggests that one in five Americans are open to replacing Donald Trump with the king of England [5] Historical & Philosophical Perspectives - The United States is founded on an ideal, not ethnicity [5] - Democracy is hard because it requires participation and responsibility from everyone [6] - Democracy is meant to protect against the rule of the strong [7] - The American experiment requires continuous effort to live up to the declaration that all are created equal [8] Future Outlook - The country may be moving away from its founding ideals [9] - There is optimism that the nation can change course if enough people decide to do the right thing [9]

Government Policy & Legal Landscape - The Justice Department is aggressively pursuing the denaturalization of some naturalized US citizens who commit certain crimes [1] - The department is granting US attorneys wider discretion in pursuing denaturalization cases [1] - This tactic is aimed at US citizens who were not born in the country, representing nearly 25 million immigrants according to 2023 figures [2] - Historically, approximately 11 people per year have been denaturalized [3] - There are concerns about the lack of clear standards for who should be denaturalized, raising the risk of targeting individuals based on vague criteria [4][5] - The vagueness over who now qualifies to lose their citizenship is a real issue [5] Potential Risks & Implications - US attorney's offices may be evaluated on the speed and elacrity with which they pursue these denaturalizations [3] - There's a risk that naturalized citizens who commit minor offenses, might become targets [5]

Legal & Policy Changes - The Justice Department is moving to strip some naturalized citizens of their citizenship for certain crimes, granting US attorneys wider discretion [1] - This tactic targets naturalized US citizens, who represent nearly 25 million immigrants according to 2023 figures [2] - Denaturalization has historically been rare, averaging around 11 people per year [4] - A memo titled "civil division priorities for the justice department" suggests a potential shift towards prioritizing denaturalization cases [4] Concerns & Risks - Vague language and lack of clear standards in the memo raise concerns about potential abuse and political targeting [5][6] - There's a risk that the administration might broaden the application of denaturalization beyond war crimes and terrorism to target those who don't comply with its policies [9][10] - The concern is that old statutes could be used in new ways for political purposes [9] Legal Framework - Legal mechanisms exist to strip citizenship from those who lied or concealed information during the naturalization process [8] - Historically, denaturalization has been used with restraint and reserved for the most serious cases [9]