President Donald Trump says his team is examining whether the federal government has the legal power to revoke U.S. citizenship from naturalized immigrants who are convicted of crimes. His comments came just days after a deadly shooting involving a National Guard patrol near the White House.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on November 30, Trump argued that weaknesses in the naturalization and vetting system allowed dangerous individuals to gain citizenship.
“We have criminals that came into our country, and they were naturalized,” he said. “If I have the power to do it—I’m not sure that I do—but if I do, I would denaturalize. Absolutely.”
Why this is happening
The debate erupted after 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal was charged with killing U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and critically injuring U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe on November 26. Lakanwal arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under humanitarian parole and was granted asylum earlier this year. His green card application was still pending during the attack.
In response, USCIS paused all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, and the Department of Homeland Security launched a review of green cards issued to immigrants from what it calls “high-risk countries.”
The broader push
Trump and his advisers argue that refugee and asylum programs were mishandled during the Biden years. They say some individuals admitted during the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation may not have been properly screened.
The administration’s review could lead to revoking asylum or other statuses if officials conclude that someone was admitted improperly. But expanding denaturalization to cover crimes committed after citizenship would break sharply from long-standing U.S. law and would almost certainly trigger court battles.
Right now, citizenship can only be stripped if it was obtained illegally—through fraud, hidden information, or other wrongdoing during the immigration process. Crimes committed later aren’t grounds for denaturalization.
U.S.-born citizens cannot be stripped of citizenship under any circumstance.
Trump’s expanded comments
Trump later leaned into the idea of a broader “reverse migration” effort, telling reporters he’s looking at ways to remove naturalized citizens who “shouldn’t be here.”
Asked how long asylum processing would remain on hold, he said it could be “a long time,” adding, “We don’t want those people. We have enough problems.”
He repeatedly singled out immigrants from countries he considers hostile or unstable, including Somalia—a criticism often used to attack Representative Ilhan Omar.
He also took a swing at President Joe Biden, claiming Biden allowed “millions” into the country who “shouldn’t be here,” while ignoring that Lakanwal’s asylum was approved under his own administration.
What critics are saying
The proposal lit up social media.
Jon Favreau, a former Obama aide, wrote that Trump was essentially threatening the citizenship of “any American who wasn’t born here.”
Other users pointed out that Trump’s own mother was naturalized, as was his wife, Melania. Many mocked his repeated attempts to blame Biden for a case processed by his own officials.
What comes next
Immigration agencies are expected to keep increased scrutiny in place while legal teams review what authority the president actually has. Any attempt to revoke citizenship based solely on criminal convictions, however, is likely headed straight to federal court.
The idea alone has already triggered a political storm—and it’s not going away anytime soon.
If you find my content helpful, consider buying me a coffee to show your appreciation and help me continue creating.
Buy Me a Coffee