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I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

300 points proberts | 1 comments | 14 Mar 25 14:39 UTC | HN request time: 0.201s | source

I'll be here for the next 6 hours. As usual, there are countless possible topics and I'll be guided by whatever you're concerned with but as much as possible I'd like to focus on the recent changes and potential changes in U.S. immigration law, policy, and practice. Please remember that I am limited in providing legal advice on specific cases for obvious liability reasons because I won't have access to all the facts. Please stick to a factual discussion in your questions and comments and I'll try to do the same in my responses. Thank you!
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nothrowaways ◴[14 Mar 25 17:30 UTC] No.43364910[source]▶
What citizenship will a naturalized citizen get if they lose their citizenship and where will they go?
replies(2): >>43365014 #>>43365397 #
mandeepj ◴[14 Mar 25 17:41 UTC] No.43365014[source]▶
Country of birth, if not a dual citizen
replies(1): >>43365459 #
ceejayoz ◴[14 Mar 25 18:13 UTC] No.43365459[source]▶
Not necessarily. People can and do get left stateless (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Kateb_v_Godwin involves someone born in Kuwait but not a citizen); countries can and do reject deportations even of their own citizens (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/world/trumps-deportations...).
replies(1): >>43366570 #
mandeepj ◴[14 Mar 25 19:55 UTC] No.43366570[source]▶
Nope! Citizenship is a basic human right. No one can be deprived of it. Middle Eastern countries have strict laws regarding citizenship; in that case, the person would have the citizenship of their parents. If one can prove legally their citizenship, that country is bound to take them back if deported.

#4 -> https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/38990/Sta...

replies(2): >>43366653 #>>43366833 #
outworlder ◴[14 Mar 25 20:19 UTC] No.43366833[source]▶
> Nope! Citizenship is a basic human right. No one can be deprived of it.

Unfortunately not true. Yes, it's a human right. Yes, there's all sorts of international agreements trying to prevent it (because it's a real mess that nobody wants to deal with), but it still happens.

This is more likely for countries that force one to renounce their birth citizenship. Not all those regimes want to take them back even if the option is statelessness.

replies(1): >>43370437 #
1. int_19h ◴[15 Mar 25 06:22 UTC] No.43370437[source]▶
Also FWIW, United States is not a signatory to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, so it's not a "contracting state".