The American dream is now more present than ever, and American citizenship is a dream for the millions of migrants who come to American soil looking for stability, security, new opportunities and a dignified life. But, nationality is not unbreakable and there are several circumstances under which you could lose your citizenship in the land of opportunities. Above all, now that Donald Trump has returned to the White House, because the immigration policy has tightened its measures and there are many more people who fear losing their status.
The Department of Justice has already confirmed that hundreds of citizenships have been revoked after going through various judicial processes. If you are an American citizen or plan to obtain this status, it is important that you know the reasons why you could lose your citizenship. And we are going to tell you about them.
Let’s go step by step, what does it mean to be a US citizen?
As in all countries, being a citizen grants you rights and benefits, such as voting in elections, obtaining a passport, accessing government jobs and living in the country without any type of immigration restrictions.
Citizenship is a bond that unites people with a region. In the United States, they are united through civic ideals and the belief in freedoms guaranteed in the United States Constitution (such as suffrage, freedom of movement, and tax benefits, for example).
How can citizenship be obtained?
There are two ways to acquire citizenship: acquisition (when a baby is born to American parents even if the birth is outside the country, or when a person was not born an American but obtains citizenship through their parents before turning 18) or through naturalization (which is when a person from another country decides of their own free will to become an American citizen through a legal process).
But, although naturalization provides the same rights, in certain cases it can be revoked by the government if certain legal criteria are not met.
And no, they do not give away citizenship; to obtain it, the user must have lived in the United States for at least 5 years.
How could I lose citizenship?
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has compiled a list of reasons why you could lose your citizenship
- If the government finds out that you provided false information when applying for naturalization (such as hiding a criminal record, lying about your identity or previous nationality, or falsifying immigration documents).
- Committing serious crimes before or shortly after naturalization (terrorism or treason against the U.S., espionage or conspiracy against the government, or participation in war crimes or sexual assault).
- If you voluntarily enlist in the military of a foreign country, you could lose your U.S. citizenship (especially if that country is in conflict with the U.S.) or if you have run for public office in a foreign country.
- Voluntarily renouncing your citizenship to obtain another citizenship.
- If a person with U.S. citizenship joins the U.S. military and deserts during a war.
What are the consequences of losing citizenship?
As you can understand, it doesn’t just mean not being an American, but it can also bring serious consequences:
- Loss of the right to vote, passport, and federal benefits.
- Possibility of deportation because you would be left without legal status, this forces the citizen to acquire another citizenship because you could become “stateless” (person without nationality)
- Restrictions on returning to the US (you will need a visa in the future)
How to avoid losing citizenship?
- Don’t lie on immigration applications
- Avoid committing crimes
- Avoid illegal acts.