I wonder what happens to someone whose United States citizenship is revoked. My president-elect suggested this as a potential consequence to burning the American flag. [1]

Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag – if they do, there must be consequences – perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016

In my own case, my parents and grandparents were all born in the US. From the ancestors I know enough about, the most recent ancestor to immigrate to the United States was a 5th great-grandfather just before 1800. [2] So I probably could not go to Germany and say, “Hey, this guy was born here, would you let me as his ancestor in?” I do have a 4th great-grandmother who was Cherokee, but similarly, I doubt they would take me.

If my citizenship were revoked, then does that mean I even have to leave? I could see where the government might take away someone’s citizenship but not deport them. The problem with deporting undocumented immigrants is that the government negotiates how and when to send people back to their home countries. It is closer to the prisoners at Guantanamo where the government is trying to send people to countries where they are not from so will be a burden on the state.

Better for the government would be if I could seek asylum somewhere. Maybe I should go back and work on my French.

Not that I have a desire to burn the flag. As a form of protest, I think it is beyond stupid. Disrespecting the US flag makes the person angry about that act. Whatever you have to say to the people on the other side is lost because of your act. So the only reason to do it is to make a statement to people who agree with you.

Notes:

1. Why flag burning is legal. Interestingly, Trump’s favorite justice, Scalia, cited the Constitution over his personal views and allowing flag burning was his case for showing that. “We do not consecrate the flag by punishing its desecration, for in doing so we dilute the freedom that this cherished emblem represents.”
2. The records are incomplete beyond that for some great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, so I am unsure of where their parents or grandparents game. My paternal great-great-grandparents were probably all slaves in the U.S. freed through the Civil War.