UNMAKING CITIZENS: THE EXPANSION OF CITIZENSHIP REVOCATION IN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM
3 Citizenship Revocation Cases 2006201670
4 Conclusion
Citizenship revocation expansion is a growing and
troubling trend that requires immediate attention,
particularly from policy-makers and human rights’
advocates. While historical precedence exists for
revocation, particularly in relation to fraud or treason,
revocation is expanding in light of growing fears and
threats of transnational terrorism. Such fears and
threats may be warranted, especially in countries that
have witnessed horrific attacks; however, governments
and citizenries alike should be cautious of using such
fears and threats to alter citizenship policy.
While Australia, Canada, and the UK have different
revocation policies and contexts, and Canada recently
amended its policy altogether as of June 2017, they
share similarities, including: (1) an emphasis on
terrorism or terrorist-related activities; (2) the provision
of extensive legal and decision-making powers to a
government minister(s); (3) “renunciation” of
citizenship through individual actions (like an act of
terrorism); and (4) the targeting of dual citizens, thus
rendering the denaturalized stateless, bypassing
international human rights’ agreements related to
statelessness, and targeting ethnic, racial, and religious
minorities.71
70
UK Visas and Immigration Home Office, “Citizenship Revocation Cases 2006-2016,” Freedom of Information Request (FOI 38893),
2016.
71
Arthur White, “Canada Puts New Law to Use, Moves to Revoke Citizenship of Convicted Terrorist,” Vice News, July 2, 2015,
https://news.vice.com/article/canada-puts-new-law-to-use-moves-to-revoke-citizenship-of-convicted-terrorist; Heather Horn,
“What’s Wrong With Stripping Terrorists of Citizenship?” The Atlantic, January 29, 2016,
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/taubira-france-citizenship-terrorism/433965/; Ha-Redeye, “Born in
Canada, Not a Citizen, but No Place to Go.”
Center for Migration Studies of New York | 10
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