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Congress·Introduced·about 1 month ago

Senate Bill Proposes Stripping Citizenship from Naturalized Citizens Convicted of Fraud or Terrorism

Also known as: SCAM Act

Legislative Progress

Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill, introduced by Senator Schmitt, would make it easier for the government to take away the citizenship of people who became U.S. citizens through naturalization. It targets individuals who commit certain crimes or join specific groups within 10 years of becoming citizens, arguing these actions prove they lied during their application.
  • Under this plan, a person could lose their citizenship if they join or help a foreign terrorist organization within 10 years of naturalization. It also applies to those convicted of stealing $10,000 or more from government programs, like Social Security or local aid, or those who commit serious crimes like spying or aggravated felonies.
  • If citizenship is revoked, it is treated as if the person was never a citizen at all. This change is retroactive, meaning the person loses all rights and benefits of being an American immediately. They would also face fast-tracked deportation from the country, regardless of how long they have lived in the United States since naturalizing.
  • The bill claims that committing these crimes within 10 years is proof that the person did not actually have the 'good moral character' required to become a citizen in the first place. If a court decides the 10-year rule is too long, the bill includes a backup plan to apply these rules to anyone who commits these acts within 5 years.
ImmigrationCriminal JusticeCivil Rights

Milestones

2 milestones3 actions
Jan 26, 2026Senate

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 301.

Jan 15, 2026Senate

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

long_term

Legal challenges expected if bill becomes law

The retroactive revocation of citizenship and the presumption that a later criminal act proves bad character at the time of naturalization would likely face constitutional challenges in federal courts. The bill itself includes a fallback provision reducing the lookback window from 10 to 5 years if courts strike down the longer period.

Related News

4 articles
Washington Times·about 1 month ago

Schmitt proposes bill to make it easier to revoke citizenship of fraudsters after Minnesota scandal

Senator Eric Schmitt introduced the SCAM Act to expand the government's ability to revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants who commit serious fraud or join terrorist groups within 10 years of naturalization, citing a major Somali-led welfare fraud case in Minnesota as the catalyst.

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Medill on the Hill·25 days ago

GOP senators slam Minnesota fraud, press for SCAM Act

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Republican senators advocated for the SCAM Act as a necessary tool to combat welfare fraud, while Democrats argued the administration is using fraud as a pretext for a broader immigration crackdown and federal occupation of cities.

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Jewish News Syndicate·about 1 month ago

Senate bill would trigger denaturalization for ties to foreign terrorist groups

The Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation Act proposes that naturalized citizenship could be revoked if an individual aids or associates with a State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization within 10 years of becoming a citizen.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

SCAM Act

Bill NumberS 3674
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 301.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(8)
R: 8

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.