Can Trump Legally Deport U.S. Citizens Like Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani?

Key Takeaways

• President Trump threatened citizenship revocation for Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani in summer 2025.
• Denaturalization requires proven fraud or hiding serious facts; no legal actions started as of July 2025.
• U.S. law protects naturalized citizens from losing citizenship due to political views or criticism.

In the summer of 2025, the immigration debate in the United States 🇺🇸 took a sharp turn when President Trump began talking about the possibility of taking away citizenship or even deporting two well-known naturalized citizens: Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani. This has raised worries among immigrants and naturalized citizens across the country. It’s important to look closely at what these statements really mean, what U.S. immigration law says, and what—if anything—has actually changed for people living in the United States 🇺🇸 as citizens who were not born here.

Key Developments: Recent Public Threats But No Legal Move

In June and July 2025, President Trump made public comments at campaign rallies about Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani, saying their U.S. citizenship should be reviewed and even suggesting they could be deported if wrongdoing is found. Elon Musk, who came from South Africa 🇿🇦 and became a U.S. citizen in 2002, has openly spoken against President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which limited tax credits for electric cars—a move that impacts Tesla and other companies working toward clean transportation. Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda 🇺🇬/India 🇮🇳 and became a U.S. citizen in 2018, just won the mayoral primary in New York City. He has spoken strongly against aggressive ICE operations in sanctuary cities, which are places that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

President Trump’s speeches went further than before. Top administration officials and Republican lawmakers hinted at “investigations” into how Musk and Mamdani became citizens. Steve Bannon, a well-known right-wing figure, claimed on his online show that “Elon Musk is illegal … Deport immediately,” drawing attention to a past Washington Post report claiming Musk might have violated student visa rules long ago—though Elon Musk denies this. Conservative media figures and some Congress members also repeat accusations, without evidence, against Mamdani based on his support for Palestinian causes. Civil rights groups condemned these as Islamophobic. Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, called for denaturalization of Mamdani, but admitted there’s no proof.

What is the Legal Process for Denaturalization or Deportation?

Despite the tough talk, there have been no official deportation or denaturalization actions launched against Elon Musk or Zohran Mamdani as of July 8, 2025. U.S. law sets very high barriers before a person’s American citizenship can be revoked—whether they are involved in political activism, business criticism, or simply don’t agree with those in power.

Denaturalization—the process of taking away someone’s U.S. citizenship—is legal in only two cases:

1. The person did not meet requirements for citizenship when applying.
2. They deliberately lied or hid very serious facts (like a criminal record or involvement in crimes) at the time they applied.

Simply speaking out against the president, supporting the wrong side politically, or calling for policy changes does not meet this legal standard. As Michael Kagan, a law professor at University Nevada, explained, “Denaturalisation is limited to cases where the government can prove material fraud… It is rare and unlikely for either Musk or Mamdani.” No law has changed in 2025 to make it easier for the government to take away citizenship based on someone’s viewpoint.

Even in the last few years, the Justice Department under President Biden made these cases even less common; taking away citizenship has only happened when officials found serious fraud or clear national security risks during someone’s path to citizenship. This limit holds true today, despite sharp rhetoric from the White House.

How Are Musk and Mamdani’s Cases Described?

A clear side-by-side comparison highlights what is happening now:

Neither Elon Musk nor Zohran Mamdani face formal charges or denaturalization hearings. Both men remain U.S. citizens and continue with their work and public life as usual.

What Do U.S. Laws and the Constitution Say?

The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives anyone who is a citizen—whether born in the United States 🇺🇸 or naturalized—the same rights. You can’t lose your U.S. citizenship just because you disagree with the government or speak out against its policies. The law is clear: President Trump—or any president—cannot remove citizenship by executive order or presidential speech. Only a court, using strong evidence, can decide if a person loses citizenship.

The two allowed legal reasons, as mentioned above, are:

• Illegally granted citizenship: Maybe because the person lied about basic facts (age, where they are from, criminal record, etc.).
• Deliberate fraud or hiding information: Such as covering up war crimes or using a fake identity.

Even if someone broke a small rule many years before becoming a citizen and never hid it, that would not normally be enough grounds for denaturalization today.

Why Are Musk and Mamdani Targeted Now? The Political Backdrop

President Trump’s bold statements about Musk and Mamdani are happening at the same time he is pushing “Project 2025,” his key immigration plan. This project focuses on removing undocumented immigrants quickly and making it tougher for people to apply for humanitarian relief like asylum. Though the plan is very tough on immigrants who have no legal status, there is no official announcement making it easier to go after people who became American citizens lawfully.

Even though administration supporters hint at using lawsuits to re-examine old citizenship cases, these efforts would run into strong legal resistance. Courts have always said you can’t use citizenship laws to punish people over politics.

For all current and future American citizens who were not born in the U.S., the law remains unchanged: Your citizenship is safe unless you are shown to have tricked officials when applying, and the government has to prove this in court. Political activity or criticism cannot be used to take your citizenship away.

Legal Scholars and Civil Society Speak Out

Legal professionals across the country agree that moves to take away citizenship solely for political reasons would not succeed. Any attempt to do so would be challenged in court and almost certainly stopped quickly. Civil rights organizations—like the ACLU and New York Immigration Coalition Action—are carefully watching events. They provide support for anyone unsure about their legal rights.

As reported by VisaVerge.com, these groups work with lawyers and advocacy clinics to reassure immigrant communities. The experts say that behind the media headlines, the rules used to look at citizenship applications or review fraud claims have not changed in a way that affects day-to-day life for the millions of naturalized citizens living in the U.S. today.

Statements from Those Involved

Both Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani continue their work. No known legal move has started against either. Musk, in particular, has continued to run his business without government investigation into his citizenship. The old claims about possible student visa violations go back thirty years and have never been proven. Even if they were brought up, lawyers say it is very hard for the government to undo a citizenship decision this far in the past—especially with no existing fraud charge or conviction.

For Mamdani, after his victory in the mayoral primary, he faced verbal attacks in the news and on social media. Trump’s border official, Tom Homan, threatened more “enforcement” against sanctuary cities but stopped short of saying Mamdani personally would be targeted. Mamdani answered back strongly, saying the president’s rhetoric was meant to scare people from speaking up: “His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt…to send a message…if you speak up they will come for you.”

No court records or government statements show any real accusation of fraud in Mamdani’s naturalization process.

What Does It Mean for Ordinary Immigrants and Applicants?

If you are already a naturalized U.S. citizen:

• Your status is secure unless someone finds proven fraud in your original application.
• You have the right to a lawyer if your citizenship is ever questioned.
• Speaking out on political issues cannot be used to take your rights away.

If you are applying for citizenship or planning to:

• The rules for reviewing applications have not changed since the early Biden years.
• Officials have always checked for serious, undisclosed convictions from before you became a permanent resident. They do not review political activity or criticism about the government.
• There is no extra risk if you express your views peacefully.

Practical Steps and Advice

To stay safe and secure:

• Keep your U.S. citizenship documents in a safe place.
• Know your rights—read trusted sources about citizenship.
• If you ever get paperwork or a call from immigration officials claiming there is a problem with your status, talk to a good immigration lawyer before answering.
• Stay informed with updates from sites like USCIS.gov, which lists citizen rights and responsibilities.

Public Reaction and the Media

There has been a sharp increase in anxiety among immigrants in 2025, especially after hearing about President Trump’s threats involving high-profile figures like Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani. Still, law experts, advocacy groups, and legal organizations say the actual risk remains unchanged—unless someone shows convincing proof of fraud in court.

Groups like the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the ACLU continue to publish easy-to-follow guides on what to do if you are contacted by immigration authorities, and how to respond. Immigrant rights organizations in New York City and nationwide report that the process for deciding citizenship cases has not changed, even if the rhetoric has become louder.

Looking into the Future: Could the Law Itself Change?

For President Trump, or any future president, to change the fundamental rule that protects an individual’s American citizenship would take new action by Congress. That means changing the law, not just using presidential orders or press statements. U.S. lawmakers in both parties have refused to support laws that would let the government easily take away citizenship over political opinions, and this is not expected to change. Should any aggressive denaturalization cases be filed based only on minor past missteps or old documentation issues, courts would likely stop them quickly before they take effect.

The debate will likely become louder as the next election draws near. But all legal analysis—across news, law journals, and citizenship groups—shows that actual risk is almost nonexistent except in clear fraud situations. News stories talking about President Trump’s threats are unsettling, but the basic protections for all naturalized citizens hold strong under current law.

Final Thoughts: Rights Remain Protected

Despite the noisy debate and direct criticism from President Trump against figures like Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani, the real legal risk facing millions of U.S. citizens who earned their status through the proper process remains unchanged in 2025. Unless the government can prove fraud at the time citizenship was approved, your American citizenship is safe.

Political views or criticism—no matter how strong—cannot be used to challenge or take away your citizenship. As always, keep documents secure, be aware of trusted legal support, and remain calm. For most naturalized citizens, daily life and rights have not changed, and America’s Constitution stands as strong protection.

If you have more questions about your rights or want up-to-date answers, visit the official USCIS citizenship rights page or talk to a legal aid group in your area.

Disclaimer: This information is meant to provide a clear summary of current U.S. law and recent high-profile cases. If you are unsure about your own legal situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice that fits your personal needs.

### Learn Today
Denaturalization → Legal process of revoking U.S. citizenship due to fraud or serious misrepresentation during application.
Naturalized Citizen → A person who acquires U.S. citizenship after birth through legal application and procedures.
Fourteenth Amendment → Part of the U.S. Constitution granting citizenship rights to anyone born or naturalized in the U.S.
Fraud → Deliberate deception to secure unlawful gain, such as lying about facts during citizenship application.
Sanctuary Cities → Cities that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to protect undocumented immigrants.

### This Article in a Nutshell

In 2025, Trump threatened to revoke Musk and Mamdani’s citizenship, but U.S. laws strongly protect citizens. Political opposition doesn’t justify stripping citizenship. No legal actions have been started, and experts agree citizenship remains secure without proven fraud or legal violations during naturalization.
— By VisaVerge.com