# Can a Citizen be Deported?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 8, 2007, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912 "2007-10-08T06:48:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912/21 "2007-10-09T22:32:09Z")

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[QUOTE=DrDeth]  
I beleive you can repudiate your citizenship. It’s diificult..  
[/QUOTE]

Yes, Cecil covered this a decade or so ago:

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_229.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_229.html)

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**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912/22 "2007-11-08T11:54:25Z")

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[QUOTE=DrDeth]  
I beleive you can repudiate your citizenship. It’s diificult. Also, AFAIK, if you are born in the USA of foriegn partents, you have dual citizenship until age 18, and then if you choose your parents nation, you are no longer a US citizen. Both require a choice on your part, however.  
[/QUOTE]  
Not so. I was born just as you describe, and still hold multiple passports with the full knowledge of the authorities. From the US [State Department](http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html) (bolding mine):

> [@](#):
>
> U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. **In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily** , by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

I held all my nationalities automatically at birth, and will continue to do so until such time as I choose to relinquish them.

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**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912/23 "2007-11-08T15:46:45Z")

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**Dead Badger** , thank you for explaining this and fighting my ignorance. Over the years I had heard conflicting reports of dual citizenship being illegal for US citizens but also heard of some people who did have dual citizenship. 😕 I never bothered to pursue the matter but, thanks to you, think I understand it now.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-citizen-be-deported/421912/24 "2007-11-08T15:55:22Z")

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What would happen if the country to which the US wanted to deport someone they had stripped of citizenship no longer existed? Would they send them back to the same geographical area, no matter the political status?

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