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The British government is moving to swiftly enact new legislation designed to prevent individuals stripped of their citizenship on national security grounds from automatically having that status reinstated if they win an initial appeal. This measure, introduced as the "Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill" on June 19, 2025, aims to close a loophole recently highlighted by the Supreme Court.
Under the previous interpretation, a successful appeal against a deprivation order could lead to immediate reinstatement of British citizenship, even if the government intended to pursue further appeals. This situation raised concerns that individuals deemed a national security threat could potentially return to the UK or exploit their regained status to renounce other citizenships, thereby rendering themselves stateless and preventing future deportation under international law.
The new bill, described by Home Office officials as "narrowly focused," will ensure that a deprivation order remains in effect until all avenues of appeal, including to the Supreme Court, have been exhausted. This approach mirrors existing procedures in asylum and human rights appeal cases, where status is not granted until all appeals are fully determined.
The government maintains that the power to deprive individuals of their citizenship is an "essential tool" for safeguarding national security. Official data indicates that over 1,000 Britons had their citizenship revoked between 2010 and 2023. Of these, 222 were for reasons "conducive to the public good," with a significant peak of 104 such orders in 2017 as the UK sought to address the threat of returning ISIS fighters. The remaining 858 deprivations were on grounds of fraud.
A prominent case associated with citizenship deprivation is that of Shamima Begum, one of three East London schoolgirls who traveled to Syria in 2015 to support the Islamic State group. Stripped of her citizenship in 2019, Begum has engaged in multiple high-profile legal challenges to return to the UK but has remained unsuccessful. Her case, while distinct, highlights the complexities surrounding such decisions.
Home Office statements emphasize that the new legislation does not alter an individual's existing right to appeal a deprivation decision, nor does it broaden the criteria for which citizenship can be revoked. Instead, it seeks solely to address the procedural gap identified by the Supreme Court, thereby strengthening the government's ability to manage perceived threats to national security.
