Can Trump Deport Naturalized Citizens?
As of April 14, 2025, President Donald Trump has proposed a controversial policy to deport certain violent criminals, including naturalized and even natural-born U.S. citizens, to prisons in El Salvador. This unprecedented move has sparked significant legal and constitutional debates.
Is Trump Trying To Deport U.S. Citizens?
Yes, President Trump has publicly expressed his desire to deport some U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a facility known for its harsh conditions. During a meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Trump suggested that El Salvador might need to “build about five more places” to accommodate these individuals.
The administration has already deported hundreds of non-citizen migrants with alleged criminal ties to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, supported by a $6 million U.S. payment. However, extending this practice to U.S. citizens raises significant legal and constitutional questions, with experts warning it would breach existing legal frameworks .
Can Trump Deport U.S. Citizens?
Under current U.S. law, deporting citizens—naturalized or natural-born—is largely unconstitutional. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and the Supreme Court has upheld that this citizenship cannot be revoked arbitrarily.
However, there are rare exceptions. Citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained through fraud or if the individual commits acts like treason. Even then, due process must be followed. Legal experts have expressed alarm at Trump’s proposal, emphasizing that U.S. law does not allow deportation of its citizens, except in rare cases involving revocation of naturalization due to terrorism, treason, or fraud.
What Law Would Trump Have to Change to Deport American Citizens?
To implement his proposal, President Trump would need to navigate significant legal hurdles. One potential avenue is the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the government to detain or deport nationals of enemy countries during wartime. However, this act has historically been applied only to non-citizens, and its use against U.S. citizens would likely face immediate legal challenges.
Additionally, any attempt to revoke citizenship would require changes to existing laws and possibly constitutional amendments, given the protections afforded by the Fourteenth Amendment. Legal experts argue that such efforts would be unprecedented and face significant opposition in the courts.
Feature Image credit: Creator: Brian Snyder | Credit: REUTERS