If You Join A Terrorist Organization, Should The U.S. Revoke Your Citizenship? (H.R. 178)

What is H.R. 178?

(Updated July 19, 2017)

H.R. 178 aims to add the following to the list of grounds that a U.S. citizen can lose his or her U.S. citizenship:

• Taking an oath or making a declaration of allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization after their eighteenth birthday;

• Entering or serving in the armed forces of a foreign state that harbors a foreign terrorist organization;

• Accepting or serving in a position within a foreign terrorist organization after turning 18, where the organization requires an oath or declaration of allegiance;

• Accepting or serving in a position within a foreign terrorist organization that involves the conscious participation in hostilities against U.S. military or civilian personnel.
  

The bill also directs the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to revoke any previously issued passports from any individual engaging in terrorist activities.

Argument in favor

Americans who join a foreign terrorist organization should not be entitled to the rights and benefits that come with U.S. citizenship. This bill would ensure that these people cannot re-enter the United States to carry out attacks on domestic targets.

Argument opposed

The key to preventing Americans from joining foreign terrorist organizations is to make it difficult for them to do so. Revoking the U.S. citizenship of people who have already joined won't help — not to mention that this seems like a relatively small problem.

Impact

U.S. citizens involved in things deemed by the administration to be "foreign terrorist activities," their families, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Cost of H.R. 178

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

Of Note:

An unprecedented number of people outside of the U.S. have been joining up with terrorist networks like ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) and ANL (Al-Nusra Front). Approximately 13,000 foreign fighters from 80 countries are believed to be fighting on the side of terrorist organizations like ISIS and ANL, with an estimated 100 from the United States.

At a United Nations summit in September 2014, member states expressed the urgency to prevent the travel and support for foreign terrorist fighters. The UN Security Council asserted that all states must take measures to prohibit the travel to and financing of terrorism training.

In Depth:

Media:

Sponsoring Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) Press Release

United Nations