Shamima Begum's appeal against the government's decision to revoke her British citizenship was unsuccessful, and she is still prohibited from entering the UK.
Ms. Begum, now 23 years old, fled the nation when she was a teenager to join the Islamic State (IS) organization in Syria.
Ms. Begum is one of three schoolgirls from east London who traveled to Syria in 2015 to aid the IS movement.
She was 15 years old when she left the UK; her parents are of Bangladeshi descent.
On the basis of national security, her citizenship was revoked in 2019.
Being a citizen is a legal status.
An individual has the legal right to reside in the nation and to utilize services like welfare, education, and healthcare if they are a citizen of the UK. Additionally, they have the right to vote.
A person's sense of self and belonging are frequently influenced by their citizenship, which is also an identity.
Some non-citizens are permitted to reside permanently in the UK with many of the same rights.
"Settled status" or "leave to remain" are terms used to describe them.
In certain situations, the government has the authority to revoke someone's British citizenship.
- They wouldn't become stateless because it is "for the public good.".
- The person committed fraud to become a citizen.
- Their actions might jeopardize UK interests, and they might apply for citizenship abroad.
The authority has been used against individuals who fraudulently obtained their British citizenship as well as members of banned organizations like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
The applicant must also be qualified to submit an application for citizenship in another nation. International law imposes obligations on the UK to prevent statelessness.
The Nationality and Borders Act made it simpler for the home secretary to revoke citizenship in some situations without informing the subject. These circumstances might include threats to national security or a person who has been charged with a serious crime.
A Walthamstow resident and aid worker named Tauqir Sharif also lost his citizenship due to national security concerns. He and his wife moved to Syria in 2012, and his citizenship was revoked in 2017.
The Home Office claimed that Mr. Sharif had ties to an organization that was supportive of al-Qaeda, but he refuted the assertion and blasted the system as "unfair" and "racist.".
A tribunal determined in February 2020 that Ms. Begum could lose her citizenship without violating the law because she was "a citizen of Bangladesh by descent" and losing her British citizenship wouldn't leave her stateless.
Bangladesh claimed that was untrue and informed her that she would not be admitted.
The Supreme Court ruled in February 2021 that Ms. Begum could not travel back to the UK to file an appeal.
At the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), Ms. Begum's attorneys contested the removal of her citizenship. Ms. Begum still lives in a camp in northern Syria that is guarded by armed men.
They claimed the choice was illegal because it disregarded the possibility that she had been a victim of child trafficking.
Ms. Begum's appeal was rejected by the SIAC on February 22, so she continues to be denied entry to the UK. Ms. Begum could take her case to the Court of Appeal, so the legal dispute may not be over just yet.
The total numbers are not easily accessible.
The Home Office claims that between 2010 and 2018, on average, 19 people had their citizenship removed because it was "conducive to the public good" and on average, 17 people had their citizenship taken away because of fraud.
According to research conducted by the immigration law website Free Movement, between 2006 and 2020, more than 460 people had their citizenships revoked, 289 of whom had committed fraud and 175 for reasons of national security.
Because citizenship is a birth right protected by the US constitution, it cannot be taken away from people who were born in the US.
However, naturalized US citizens, or those who have immigrated to the US, can lose their citizenship for a number of reasons, such as belonging to a prohibited group or having obtained their US citizenship fraudulently.
If a person holds dual citizenship with another country and Australia, their citizenship may be revoked for reasons of national security.
In 14 EU nations, including Greece, France, and Romania, citizenship may be revoked for acts of treason, disloyalty, or other national security concerns. Additionally, it may be taken away unexpectedly in the Netherlands.
According to a report published by the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, the UK has deported more citizens recently than any other nation save Bahrain.
