You Are Not American

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Citizenship holds immense value, yet it remains precarious, even for those born in the US. Over the past two centuries, the government has revoked citizenship to exclude the unwanted, suppress dissent, and deny civil rights to those deemed un-American based on race, ethnicity, marriage, or beliefs. Law professor Amanda Frost draws on the experiences of individuals who have fought for recognition as full members of We the People, revealing a hidden history of discrimination and xenophobia that persists today. The Supreme Court's denial of Black citizenship in Dred Scott marked one of the earliest and most infamous instances of citizenship stripping, but this practice has continued. Women marrying noncitizens, persecuted racial groups, labor leaders, and political activists have all faced citizenship denial and deportation by a government seeking to redefine what it means to be American. Presently, US citizens near the southern border often face passport denials, while thousands are mistakenly detained and deported. The Trump administration even scrutinized the citizenship of 700,000 naturalized citizens. Prominent figures like Barack Obama and Kamala Harris have faced unfounded claims questioning their citizenship eligibility for office. This exploration delves into the complexities of American identity, membership, belonging, and exclusion that continue to challenge and divide the nation in the twenty-first century.