New citizenship law has reduced British Muslims to second-class citizens: Think tank

A report by a UK think tank has claimed that a new law enforced by the parliament, which has the power to revoke the citizenship of British people without prior notice, has reduced British Muslims to "second class" citizens.

In a report titled "Citizenship: from right to privilege" and published on Sunday, the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) sought to blame the UK government for racial prejudice, saying that the bill almost exclusively targets Muslims, especially those of South Asian heritage.

The report specifically talks about the new law, called Clause 9, that was added to the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 in April.

The clause states that a British citizen who is abroad is deprived of citizenship until "they try to come home and are refused boarding or they need help from the British Embassy because their passport, money, etc., have been lost or stolen," the report said.

The IRR’s report cited the case of Shamima Begum, who lost her citizenship after she was smuggled into the hands of the Islamic State at the age of 15.

"Changes to citizenship law which have created these classes of citizenship were brought in to target British Muslims of South Asian and Middle Eastern heritage. Such divisions act as a constant reminder to minority ethnic citizens that they must watch their step, and reinforce racist messages about 'undeserving' groups unworthy of being British," IRR vice-chair Frances Webber said in the report.

Earlier, UK nationals were notified by letter when their citizenship was revoked.

Those who have lost their citizenship do have the right to challenge the decision through an appeals process. However, critics believe that removing the need to notify prevents them from exercising that right.

Reacting to the report, the Home Office spokesperson defended their decision, saying that the law would affect only a handful of people.

"Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of the UK. Deprivation of citizenship only happens after careful consideration of the facts and in accordance with international law. "It is used against those who have acquired citizenship by fraud and against the most dangerous people, such as terrorists, extremists, and serious organised criminals," the spokesperson told the Guardian.

"We make no apology for doing whatever is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security," the spokesperson added.

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