A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has announced plans to introduce a bill that would allow authorities to denaturalise and deport naturalised citizens involved in terrorism.
Moore disclosed this in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, noting that the proposed legislation, titled the Denaturalization and Expulsion of Persons Who Orchestrate Radical Terrorism (DEPORT) Act, is aimed at strengthening national security.
“I will soon introduce a bill that will make it possible to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who commits an act of terrorism or aids terrorism against the United States of America and her people,” he said.
Explaining the rationale behind the bill, the lawmaker said recent attacks allegedly carried out by naturalised citizens highlighted gaps in existing laws.
He cited a March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia, where a naturalised citizen, identified as Mohamed Jalloh, reportedly opened fire in a classroom, killing an Army pilot and injuring two students.
According to Moore, the suspect had previously been arrested in 2016 for providing material support to ISIS after reportedly meeting members of the group abroad, but was later released.
“This attack never should have happened,” Moore said, arguing that stricter laws could have prevented the incident.
The proposed DEPORT Act, he explained, seeks to ensure that naturalised citizens who commit or plan terrorist acts, join terrorist organisations, or provide support to such groups can be stripped of their citizenship and deported.
Moore also pointed to other recent incidents involving naturalised citizens, claiming they reflect a broader pattern that requires urgent legislative action.
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He noted that under current laws, it is often difficult to revoke citizenship unless it can be proven that it was obtained fraudulently.
To address this, the bill proposes extending the period during which terrorism can be treated as prima facie evidence of citizenship fraud from five to ten years.
It also seeks to create a new legal pathway for denaturalising individuals involved in lone-wolf terrorist acts, as well as require citizenship applicants to formally declare that they have no intent to engage in terrorism against the United States.
Moore expressed confidence that the proposed legislation would help prevent future attacks and strengthen the country’s security framework.