Citizenship Under Fire: Governments Target Elites as Democratic Norms Erode
In the US, India, and Israel, leaders are using the threat of stripping citizenship or residency status as a political weapon, a tactic with roots in broader efforts to disenfranchise marginalized groups.
Governments in India, the United States, and Israel have recently taken actions that question the national status of prominent individuals, raising concerns about an erosion of democratic norms and a weaponization of citizenship itself. These high-profile cases, involving a Bollywood actor, a U.S. Congresswoman, and Israeli film directors, are seen by some analysts as extensions of broader governmental strategies to disenfranchise and control specific populations.
In India, actor Imran Khan, nephew of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, was ordered to leave the country by October 28, a deadline that was later extended. Khan resides in India on an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, a status that grants individuals of Indian descent the right to live and work in India. India does not permit dual citizenship, and the revocation of OCI status can significantly disrupt the lives of its holders. Khan is challenging the order in court after protesting against India's chief election commissioner.
In the United States, Representative Ilhan Omar is reportedly facing an investigation by federal authorities who are preparing a case to strip her of citizenship. The allegations reportedly center on her father's naturalization paperwork, which allegedly stated she was 17 when she was 18. Former President Donald Trump has publicly suggested that Omar should resign from Congress, citing documents that he claims refer to her by a different name.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, directors of the film NAZA, could have their Israeli citizenship revoked. The film features interviews with Israeli soldiers discussing their assessments of civilian casualties in Gaza. Netanyahu stated that legislation would be pursued against those who defame Israeli soldiers, specifically citing the filmmakers as an example.
These instances follow a pattern seen in other countries, such as Russia, which recently passed legislation to strip citizenship from Russians abroad facing domestic prosecution on political grounds. Historically, the Nazis stripped Jews of their citizenship in the 1930s and 1940s.
Broader Disenfranchisement Efforts
Experts suggest that these high-profile cases are symptomatic of a larger trend where authoritarian-leaning leaders in democracies target entire demographic groups before focusing on elites. In India, concerns have been raised about a politicized effort to clean up voter rolls, which critics warn could disenfranchise tens of millions of voters, particularly Muslims. Professor Mukulika Banerjee of the London School of Economics noted that changes to the election commission and documentation requirements disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including women, lower-caste individuals, and rural voters.
In the United States, the Trump administration prioritized denaturalization efforts as part of its immigration crackdown. The Justice Department has filed to strip citizenship from individuals accused of lying on their naturalization paperwork. The administration also attempted, unsuccessfully, to challenge the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.
In Israel, Palestinians in East Jerusalem have long been denied full citizenship, existing as permanent residents who cannot vote in national elections. Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst on Israel at Crisis Group, noted that if residency can be stripped, citizenship could potentially follow, especially if such actions become normalized.
The Chilling Effect of Threats
Analysts believe that targeting elites serves to create a chilling effect on dissent. When prominent figures like Imran Khan or Ilhan Omar, who belong to or are associated with marginalized groups, face threats to their citizenship, it sends a message to a broader population. Aatish Taseer, whose own OCI card was revoked after writing an article critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noted that such actions can be driven by ethnonationalist agendas and serve as a "blunt instrument of coercion."
Taseer stated that when leaders call protesters "terrorists" or "anti-nationals" rather than citizens exercising their rights, it reflects a misunderstanding of constitutional provisions for peaceful protest. By targeting high-profile individuals, governments can "make an example and say, look, we can take the biggest and the richest and the most prominent," signaling that no one is above government coercion.
While the legal battles and practical outcomes of these cases remain uncertain—with legal experts noting the difficulty of stripping Omar of her citizenship based on her father's alleged error, and Israeli judicial protections potentially safeguarding Abraham and Szor—the threat itself is seen as effective. Zonszein described such threats as "empty but effective, because it chills dissent, it stifles it, it makes people scared."
This tactic also suggests that power can extend to anyone, regardless of status or perceived protection, potentially discouraging individuals from speaking out in defense of marginalized groups. However, it may also galvanize support for those groups. As Taseer warned, when such actions occur within democracies, they often precede a broader authoritarian turn, affecting the general population in ways similar to how targeted groups are affected.