Millions of British Muslims Face Risk of Losing Citizenship

Millions of British Muslims Face Risk of Losing Citizenship
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Two human rights organizations, the Runnymede Trust and the NGO Reprieve, have warned that millions of Muslims in the United Kingdom are at risk due to laws that expand government powers to revoke citizenship.

In a joint report, the organizations said increased discretionary authority granted to officials to strip citizenship places millions of people in danger. Based on estimates cited by the Home Secretary, the report suggests that nearly nine million people in the UK—around 13 percent of the population—could potentially lose their citizenship.

Al Jazeera reported that these powers disproportionately affect Muslim communities, particularly those with roots in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, amounting to what the report describes as a “systemic threat.”

Under current rules, British citizenship can be revoked even if an individual has no genuine connection to another country, provided they are deemed eligible for citizenship elsewhere.

People with links to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Nigeria, North Africa, and the Middle East are identified as among the most vulnerable.

According to the report, three out of five non-white individuals face the risk of citizenship deprivation, compared with one in five white Britons.

Since 2010, more than 200 people—overwhelmingly Muslims—have lost their citizenship on “public interest” grounds.

The report also highlights the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, which allows citizenship to be revoked without prior notice. The two organizations have called for an immediate halt to these practices and the restoration of citizenship rights to those affected.