London: Millions of Muslims in the UK face the risk of losing their British citizenship under expanding government powers, according to a new report released by two rights groups, raising serious concerns about discrimination and legal inequality.
The report, jointly prepared by the Runnymede Trust and human rights organisation Reprieve, warns that current nationality laws disproportionately affect Muslims and ethnic minorities, creating what it describes as a “systemic threat” to affected communities.
Millions legally exposed
According to the findings, around nine million people in Britain are legally exposed to the possibility of citizenship deprivation nearly 13 percent of the total population.
This figure has previously been acknowledged by the UK home secretary.
The report highlights stark disparities in how the law affects different groups. It found that three out of five non-white individuals are at risk of losing citizenship, compared to just one in 20 white British citizens.
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People with family or ancestral links to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Nigeria, North Africa, and the Middle East were identified as being among the most vulnerable.
Law criticised for unequal impact
The authors argue that the existing framework places a disproportionate burden on Muslims, particularly those of South Asian, African, and Middle Eastern backgrounds.
They warn that many people live under constant uncertainty about their legal status despite being long-term residents or British-born citizens.
The report states that citizenship deprivation has increasingly been used as a tool of national security policy, rather than a measure of last resort.
2022 legislation under fire
A key focus of the report is the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, which grants the government authority to strip citizenship without prior notice in certain circumstances.
Under the law, individuals can lose citizenship even if they do not currently hold another nationality, provided the government believes they may be eligible for one.
Since 2010, more than 200 people have been deprived of British citizenship on grounds of “public interest,” with the majority reported to be Muslims.
Calls for urgent reform
Runnymede Trust and Reprieve urged the government to immediately suspend citizenship deprivation cases and repeal the controversial provisions of the nationality law.
They also called for citizenship to be restored to those affected under the current system.
The report warns that without legal reform, millions of people will continue to live with insecurity over their status, undermining equality before the law and eroding the foundations of British citizenship.