White House Backs Schmitt Bill to Expand Denaturalization After Minnesota Fraud Scandal
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is preparing to introduce the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act, a White House-backed bill that would make it far easier for the federal government to strip naturalized Americans of citizenship for up to 10 years after they take the oath. The proposal creates a post‑naturalization window in which conviction for defrauding any level of U.S. government of $10,000 or more, committing espionage, an aggravated felony, or affiliating with a foreign terrorist organization would serve as automatic proof that the person never met the 'good moral character' requirement and can be denaturalized and deported. The bill includes a built‑in fallback: if courts strike down the 10‑year window as unconstitutional, it would automatically revert to a five‑year period rather than invalidating the whole law. Schmitt frames the measure as a response to the sprawling Minnesota social‑services fraud scandal—where prosecutors estimate up to $9 billion was stolen and some defendants are Somali immigrants—while senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller calls it a necessary response to what he labels the 'Somali fraud scandal.' Immigrant‑rights lawyers and some constitutional scholars have already warned in other forums that broad new denaturalization powers risk creating a second‑class form of citizenship for the foreign‑born, setting up a likely court fight if the bill advances.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The SCAM Act would establish a 10-year post‑naturalization period during which certain crimes and conduct can trigger denaturalization, with a built‑in fallback to five years if courts strike down the longer window.
- Covered conduct includes defrauding a federal, state, local or tribal government of $10,000 or more, committing espionage, committing an aggravated felony, or affiliating with a foreign terrorist organization.
- Schmitt and the bill’s supporters argue such post‑oath conduct proves the person never truly met the 'good moral character' standard required for citizenship, effectively retroactively invalidating their naturalization.
- The White House, via deputy chief of staff and Trump homeland‑security adviser Stephen Miller, has endorsed the bill and explicitly ties it to the Minnesota fraud scandal that prosecutors say could involve up to $9 billion in stolen funds.
- The legislation is explicitly drafted with an eye toward surviving constitutional challenges, including the automatic substitution of a shorter window if a court finds 10 years excessive.
đź“Š Relevant Data
In Minnesota, people of Somali descent number more than 108,000 as of 2024, representing approximately 1.85% of the state's total population of about 5.84 million.
Probing Trump's Verbal Attack on Somalis — FactCheck.org
Of the 86 individuals charged in Minnesota's recent welfare fraud schemes (totaling over $152 million uncovered, potentially billions), 78 (approximately 90.7%) are of Somali descent, indicating overrepresentation relative to their 1.85% share of the state population.
Probing Trump's Verbal Attack on Somalis — FactCheck.org
81% of Somali immigrant households in Minnesota consume some form of welfare, including cash assistance, SNAP, and Medicaid, based on 2014-2023 data.
Probing Trump's Verbal Attack on Somalis — FactCheck.org
Somali resettlement in Minnesota began in 1992, facilitated by the Refugee Act of 1980, which enabled the U.S. to issue visas to refugees fleeing the Somali civil war after the 1991 ousting of President Mohamed Siad Barre.
Somali and Somali American Experiences in Minnesota — MNopedia (Minnesota Historical Society)
The Somali population in Minnesota grew from initial arrivals in 1992 to estimates of 57,000 by 2015 and up to 100,000 by 2018, primarily in the Twin Cities area, driven by refugee resettlement and secondary migration for economic opportunities and social networks.
Somali and Somali American Experiences in Minnesota — MNopedia (Minnesota Historical Society)
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