President Donald Trump has renewed his controversial stance on citizenship, declaring that he would “denaturalize” certain Americans following a tragic shooting incident involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. On November 29, 2023, Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to assert the need to revoke citizenship from individuals he claims undermine domestic peace. His comments have reignited discussions around immigration policy and citizenship rights.
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after returning from Palm Beach, Florida, Trump responded to a question about his recent vow to strip citizenship from American citizens. The inquiry followed the shooting of Sarah Beckstrom, 20, who was killed, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, who was critically injured. The accused shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, had his asylum application approved earlier this year.
Trump stated, “We’ll see, I mean, yeah, we have criminals that came into our country and they were naturalized maybe through Biden or somebody that didn’t know what they were doing.” He also claimed, “If I have the power to do it, I’m not sure that I do, but if I do, I would denaturalize, absolutely.” It is essential to note that only naturalized citizens can face denaturalization, which can occur if they are found to have concealed material facts or misrepresented themselves during the naturalization process. Such actions require federal court proceedings.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indicates that revocation of citizenship is a complex legal process, emphasizing that each case must be thoroughly examined in court. Trump’s comments come as he faces scrutiny for his handling of immigration issues during his presidency. His Scottish-born mother became a naturalized citizen in 1942 amidst World War II.
In the wake of the shooting, Trump announced a pause on asylum decisions, stating, “We don’t want those people,” and suggesting that this suspension could last “a long time.” He criticized President Biden, labeling him as “the worst president in the history of our country,” and maintained that many individuals in the U.S. should not be there.
The president also directed his criticism toward Representative Ilhan Omar, a member of Congress who has been the subject of numerous unfounded allegations. Trump remarked, “We frankly don’t need their people coming into our country telling us what to do,” referencing Omar’s background as a Somali immigrant. He revived a long-debunked rumor regarding her marriage, stating, “If that’s true, she shouldn’t be a congressman and we should throw her the hell out of our country.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Omar’s office for a response to Trump’s comments. As the debate over immigration and citizenship intensifies, many are left questioning the implications of Trump’s rhetoric on national policy and the lives of individuals affected by such statements.
