House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has called for urgent passage of the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act, citing a series of recent terrorist attacks by naturalized U.S. citizens as evidence of flaws in current immigration law [1]. The SCAM Act, first introduced by Emmer in January and with a Senate version sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., would expand the government's ability to revoke citizenship from naturalized citizens convicted of terrorism, fraud, or espionage [1]. Emmer emphasized that the standards for denaturalization are currently too high and argued that the bill would allow prosecutors to use crimes committed after naturalization as evidence of false claims of good moral character during the citizenship process, effectively invalidating citizenship from the start [1].
The bill has nearly 50 House co-sponsors and is currently in the House Judiciary Committee. Emmer expressed confidence that the SCAM Act will pass once scheduled for a vote, potentially with bipartisan support from Democrats who recognize the seriousness of the issue [1]. He stated, "The message is, terrorists do not belong on U.S. soil, naturalized or not" [1].
Recent incidents cited include the killing of three people and injuring of more than a dozen in Austin by Senegalese-born naturalized citizen Ndiaga Diagne, who was subsequently killed by police [1]. Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, children of naturalized citizens from Turkey and Afghanistan, allegedly pledged support to ISIS and attempted to bomb an anti-Islam demonstration in New York City; they have been charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, and multiple explosives-related offenses [1]. On March 12, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a naturalized citizen originally from Lebanon, allegedly attempted to ram his vehicle into a Michigan synagogue filled with children and teachers [1].
Emmer argues that these events underscore the need for legislative action to prevent individuals who commit terrorist acts from retaining U.S. citizenship, stating, "If you're going to take advantage of the generosity of Americans, or you are going to associate with known terrorist organizations or commit aggravated felonies or terrorist attacks, even attempted, it doesn't matter; no more playing games. You should be denaturalized and shipped back to wherever the heck you came from" [1].
CONCLUSION
The SCAM Act aims to address perceived gaps in U.S. immigration law by enabling the government to revoke citizenship from naturalized individuals convicted of terrorism or related crimes. While the bill has significant support and is positioned for a vote, its market impact is expected to be low, as the focus remains on national security and legislative reform rather than economic or financial markets.