Hoda Muthana and her debatable citizenship

by Madison Leslie
edited by Margaret O’Connell

Hoda Muthana, who traveled to Syria to become a part of Islamic State (ISIS), is attempting to come back while the United States government is questioning her citizenship, according to the NYTimes.

(Photo: NYTimes)

Muthana’s father may have been a Yemeni diplomat when she was born.”Children born in the United States to active diplomats are not bestowed birthright citizenship, since diplomats are under the jurisdiction of their home countries,” according to the NYTimes.

The United States are convinced that Muthana’s father was a diplomat at the time she was born. However, her family is saying otherwise.

There is doubt about the legitimacy of her passport.

“If the passport was a legitimate passport and she was a U.S. citizen, nothing that Pompeo says takes away her citizenship,” David Leopild, a former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said.

If the passport is illegitimate the government can refuse to allow her in the country again. Muthana cannot be charged with treason because pledging to join a terrorist group is not substantial enough.

Muthana, now 24, is currently being held in a Syrian refugee camp.