SCAM Act Targets Naturalized Citizens: New 10-Year 'Probation' Period Could Revoke Citizenship for Crimes and Fraud

The Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation Act (SCAM Act) introduces a major shift in how the U.S. government treats naturalized citizens. Essentially, it creates a 10-year window after someone earns their citizenship where certain actions can lead to that citizenship being stripped away retroactively. The bill argues that if a person commits specific crimes or joins certain groups within a decade of their oath, it proves they lacked the 'good moral character' required to become a citizen in the first place. If triggered, the government can cancel the naturalization certificate, making it as if the person was never a citizen at all, and move straight to an expedited removal process to deport them.

The Ten-Year Lookback

The bill establishes three main categories that can trigger a loss of citizenship if they occur within 10 years of naturalization. First, any association or conspiracy with a foreign terrorist organization is grounds for revocation (Section 4). Second, a conviction or admission of defrauding any level of government—federal, state, local, or tribal—of at least $10,000 is included. Third, committing an 'aggravated felony' or an espionage-related offense also qualifies. For a small business owner who naturalized seven years ago, a conviction for a tax error or a COVID-19 relief fund dispute totaling over $10,000 could theoretically lead to a total loss of their legal status in the U.S. under these provisions.

Retroactive Consequences and the 'Fallback' Rule

One of the most significant parts of this bill is that it makes denaturalization retroactive to the original date the citizenship was granted. This means all rights and protections held during those years are effectively erased. Section 4 also includes a 'fallback' provision: if a court decides that a 10-year window is unconstitutional, the law automatically defaults to a 5-year window instead of being thrown out entirely. This ensures the government maintains a period of heightened scrutiny over new citizens even if legal challenges arise. For a trade worker who has built a life, bought a home, and paid into Social Security as a citizen, this creates a decade-long period of legal vulnerability that born-citizens do not face.

Broad Definitions and Fast-Track Deportation

The bill adds the Attorney General to the list of officials who can start these proceedings, which could lead to more frequent cases. A major concern for many will be the term 'associates with' regarding terrorist organizations, which is not strictly defined in the text and could be interpreted broadly. Furthermore, once citizenship is revoked under these new grounds, the individual is subject to 'expedited removal.' This means they could be deported without the standard, lengthy immigration court process that other non-citizens usually navigate. By linking post-naturalization behavior to pre-naturalization intent, the SCAM Act effectively treats the first 10 years of citizenship as a high-stakes probationary period.