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Will Lieberman’s Citizenship Bill Strip Americans Of Their Rights?

Due to be introduced on Thursday, the Lieberman citizenship bill is already rising tensions. Legal experts are calling the bill, simply, "draconian". The American legal system is intended for citizens and non-citizens, and generally accessible even without small money loans. Would the Lieberman citizenship bill be a boon or a bust for legal rights?

History behind the Lieberman citizenship bill?

Senator Lieberman's citizenship bill was prompted by concerns over the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, the accused Times Square bomber. Senator Lieberman has publicly decried the fact Shahzad was read his Miranda rights (if a bit late). As an American citizen, Faisal is entitled to a full civilian trial.

Details of the Lieberman citizenship bill

The Lieberman citizenship bill would amend current law to "revoke citizenship from individuals with ties to a foreign terrorist organization". Revoking citizenship means revoking constitutional legal protections. There are still numerous questions about this Lieberman citizenship bill - especially about its definitions.The question of Lieberman citizenship definitionsThe Lieberman citizenship bill raises many, many questions. First of all, the bill doesn't define what exactly are "ties" to terrorist organizations. There is no protection for individuals who are wrongfully accused, and no standard of proof. New authorities would be granted to the State Department to determine who's a citizen.

Lieberman citizenship bill would not solve problem

The Lieberman citizenship bill is intended to "fix" the Miranda rights question that Lieberman has raised. However, in writing the bill, it appears that Lieberman's citizenship stripping won't "fix" that problem. Miranda rights still apply to non-citizens, even when arrested within the United States.

Constitutional questions about the Lieberman citizenship bill

The Lieberman citizenship bill would, if passed, almost certainly face legal challenges. The current law in the United States already states that any fighter for a foreign army does so "at risk of their citizenship". The Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that citizens can't be stripped of their citizenship without choice. The only way a government can revoke citizenship is to prove the citizen intended on revoking it on their own.

Read More:

Atlantic Wire

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/5-Problems-With-Lie...Atlantic

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/citizen-lieberman/56...

Salon.comhttp://www.salon.com/news/times_square_bomb_attempt/index.html?story=/po...

Washington Posthttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/05/how_liebermans_citize...