An aide to Sen. Eric Schmitt holds up a sign Wednesday depicting the radicalization of Mirsad Ramic, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was convicted in 2024 of providing material support to ISIS after traveling to Syria to join the terrorist organization. The hearing was held at the at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington. Photo by Senate judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON, June 3 (UPI) -- As the Justice Department increases efforts to strip some naturalized Americans of their U.S. citizenship, U.S. senators on Wednesday debated whether such efforts violate the Constitution.
Republicans argued during a Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution that it has been too hard to take away citizenship of naturalized citizens. But Democrats oppose increasing denaturalization and said it reflects President Donald Trump's broader anti-immigrant agenda.
"When someone lies during that [naturalization] process, conceals material facts, hides criminal conduct, masks allegiance to a foreign enemy or swears loyalty with mental reservation, he commits fraud against the United States," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., chairman of the subcommittee.
Countered Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a naturalized citizen. "It's more than astounding, it should be unconstitutional. Let's be clear. This has never been about law and order for the Republicans. This is all about getting immigrants. It's about terrorizing immigrant communities."
