The “Alliance For the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty” is prosecuting the first “Anti-FATCA” lawsuit in the world. Republicans Overseas has indicated that they expect the “Made in America” “Anti-FATCA” lawsuit to be commenced in the first quarter of 2015. We eagerly await that development. Information on the Republicans Overseas lawsuit is at FATCALegalAction. The announcement from Republicans Overseas appeared on their Facebook site.
Republicans Overseas deserves our congratulations for an amazing “inaugural year”. They are off to a truly fabulous start. Much has been done and much remains to be done.
I attended a Continuing Education conference last month (yes, any lawyer helping Americans abroad is in permanent student mode). One of the speakers suggested that the only reason that FATCA existed was because of U.S. “extra-territorial taxation”. As you know the U.S.A. is the only country in the world that claims the right to:
1. Levy taxes on people who do NOT reside in the U.S.; and
2. Levy those taxes on income and property not associated with the U.S.
Furthermore, many of the requirements of U.S. “Extra-territorial taxation” are NOT related to tax.The fact that an “edict” is found in the Internal Revenue Code does NOT mean that it is related to tax. (Was the purpose of the “HIRE” Act related to FATCA?) I’m thinking of the penalty laden reporting requirements. I’m thinking of the difficulties in operating businesses. I’m thinking of the rules that make “investing” and “retirement planning” very difficult. I am also reminded of the “special rules” governing marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizen (AKA “alien”) spouses. I’m thinking of expensive U.S. tax compliance costs (tax returns that can easily exceed 100 pages RESULTING IN ZERO TAX OWING) required under threat of terrifying penalties The truth is that what the U.S. calls “citizenship-based taxation” (the word “citizen” makes it sound like these requirements are moral and patriotic) is really a form of:
I guarantee you that NO U.S. citizen residing in America would tolerate this!
Who is subjected to “residence based life control”? On what basis does the U.S. justify the right to impose these life restrictions? The U.S. claims the right to regulate the lives of any person who was “Born in the U.S.A.” With a U.S. place of birth, it doesn’t matter where you live in the world. You are subject to the edicts of the U.S. In the 21st century, if you were born in the United States of America, then:
As one person said to me (not sure he really believed what I was saying) about “extra-territorial taxation”:
But, surely this is justified because a U.S. place of birth makes you an American citizen? Surely, the U.S. has the right to control its citizens both inside the United States and outside the United States! Wait a minute. If a U.S. birthplace is sufficient to confer U.S. citizenship, then there a lot of “U.S. citizens” with no connection to the United States. Many of these people – including the plaintiffs in the ADCS FATCA Lawsuit – have not lived in the U.S. since they were children. The recent issue of “The IRS vs. Boris Johnson” has highlighted this issue. Many have have NOT earned one cent in the United States. Many of them were either born citizens of other countries or became citizens of other countries. Think of it. The U.S. is claiming the right to regulate the lives of these people based solely on a U.S. birthplace. Some of these people are at most “technical citizens”. They are not citizens in any meaningful sense. Many of them do NOT consider themselves to ever have been U.S. citizens. Many of them acknowledge that “Once upon at time” they were U.S. citizens – but that they are NO longer U.S. citizens. Yet the U.S. claims the right to subject them to “extra-territorial taxation” aspects of “residence-based life control” for life.
Surely, “citizenship” involves more than a governmental “claim of ownership” based on “place of birth”. Clearly it’s time for the world to reconsider what is the essential meaning of citizenship. Citizenship must have characteristics that make it “voluntary”, “consensual” and “meaningful”. The fact that someone is deemed to be a “citizen” in a legal and technical sense does NOT make one a “citizen” in a moral or meaningful sense. To put it simply:
The United States is defining people as U.S. citizens who do NOT agree that they are U.S. citizens.
(This situation is particularly problematic when one considers the status of people born outside the United States to U.S. parents. But, I digress …)
Finally – to be sure – there are many people with a U.S. birthplace, who ARE U.S. citizens and DO live outside the United States. This group is the ONLY group where where one can meaningfully discuss the issue of “extra-territorial” taxation. If the taxation of true U.S. “citizens” abroad can be justified, the question becomes:
How should they be taxed? What should the requirements be? Should Americans abroad be subject to the exact same tax rules as U.S. residents? U.S. citizens abroad are already subject to the tax system of the country they reside. Can the U.S. impose, under the guise of “taxation”, a form of “residence-based life control” that forces people to protect themselves by renouncing their U.S. citizenship? Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, ended his ruling in the famously relevant Afroyim case by suggesting that Congress could NOT do anything that resulted in the “forcible destruction” of U.S. citizenship. Are these rules of “residence-based life control” – constitutional under the constitution of the United States of America?
Furthermore, if you believe that taxation should be related to services provided (and there are many who do NOT):
Should U.S. citizens abroad, who receive NO U.S. services, be subject to U.S. taxation at all?
The recent enforcement of U.S. taxation on those with a “U.S. birthplace abroad” coupled with the imposition of FATCA have made this an urgent issue. The clear purpose of FATCA is to enforce the practice of “extra-territorial taxation”. FATCA has made it very difficult (if not impossible) for U.S. citizens to live outside the U.S. Furthermore, the problem of “extra-territorial taxation” exists irrespective of whether an American abroad is compliant with U.S. tax laws. In August of 2014 Robert Wood published a letter from a U.S. citizen, who had resided in Canada for 40 years, had attempted to comply with U.S. tax laws for those 40 years (doesn’t get more patriotic and law abiding than that) who felt that the “restrictions” were so great that she was forced to renounce U.S. citizenship. Here is another example – posted by Kelly Phillips Erb – of a patriotic American forced to renounce U.S. citizenship because of abusive laws that bear no substantive relationship to tax.
It’s time for those with a “U.S. place of birth” to stand up and be counted. It’s time for those with a “U.S. place of birth” to recognize that, they have a moral duty to, oppose the immoral practice of “residence-based life control” which is expressed as “place of birth taxation”. “Place of birth taxation” is the oxygen that provides the primary justification for FATCA (which raises its own issues of justice and morality).
As important as our Canadian “Anti-FATCA Lawsuit” is, the Government of Canada did NOT invent U.S. “place of birth taxation”. Canada cannot change U.S. “place of birth” taxation. Therefore the organized opposition to FATCA and “place of birth taxation” must originate in the United States itself.
According to the U.S. Constitution, there are three branches of the U.S. Government.
Executive Branch – The “Obama Administration” as a group is NOT sympathetic to the concerns of Americans abroad. The policies of the administration and it’s enforcement policies are forcing Americans abroad to “renounce U.S. citizenship”. While Americans abroad are being forced to renounce their citizenship, the Obama administration has raised the fee to renounce.(Should the U.S. government be imposing ANY fee to be allowed to NOT be a U.S. citizen?)
The sad reality is that many Americans abroad cannot afford the compliance costs required by U.S. “extra-territorial taxation” and cannot afford the “financial costs” imposed on those who renounce U.S. citizenship. (These “financial costs” include: the costs of tax compliance, the payment of taxes, interest and penalties, the $2350 fee for a “renunciation” appointment and the possibility of the Draconian “Exit Tax”.) People are simply trapped! The “Alliance For the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty” has retained Washington, DC lawyer Jim Butera to oppose the increase in the renunciation fee from $400 to $2350. There will be more to come.
The Courts – The U.S. Government attempts to justify “place of birth taxation” based on the (get this) 1924 (practically incoherent) decision of the Supreme Court in Cook v. Tait. The decision claims that the “U.S. Government by it’s very nature benefits its citizens wherever they may be”. I doubt that was true in 1924. It is certainly not true today. Actually, it’s the reverse. It’s perfectly clear that:
Nobody understood this principle better than the late Roger Conklin. Nobody taught this principle better than the late Roger Conklin. Nobody lived this principle better than the late Roger Conklin.
The time has clearly come to begin legal action in the U.S. courts. The time has clearly come to seek relief from U.S. laws and regulations that are unrelated to taxation, but are related to “life control”! Stay tuned. I predict this will be coming soon.
Congress – Congress makes the laws. Congress has made every single piece of discriminatory, unjust, incoherent, penalty laden piece of legislation that comes from the United States government. (They have been doing it for years.) Many of these laws are found in the Internal Revenue Code. (The U.S. tax code is so deficient and problematic that the very survival of the country depends on reforming the U.S. tax code.) Tax Reform requires making U.S. tax law understandable, making it less unfair, and bringing it in line with the world of the 21st century.
The 21st century is a world where people are mobile. It’s a world that is interconnected. It’s a world where trade is essential to maintaining the economic base that is necessary for countries to provide services to its citizens. It’s a world that cannot and must not restrict the flow of capital and human mobility. And finally it’s a world with a consciousness of human rights!
It’s obvious that the U.S. is building a “Fortress America”. FATCA, FBAR, PFIC and the complete “alphabet soup” list of impediments to life impede mobility and impede progress. It’s no surprise that FATCA has been referred to as a modern day “Berlin Wall”.
The good news is that Congress has been considering tax reform. Corporate tax reform is a virtual certainty. As the number of inversions demonstrates, the only way that U.S. companies can compete internationally is if they cease being a U.S. company. Similarly, the only way that a U.S. citizen abroad can compete, is if he ceases to be a U.S. citizen. Contrary to “myth” U.S. citizens abroad ARE subjected to taxation from both the United States and their country of residence. Contrary to myth, U.S. citizens abroad are often subjected to double taxation. Contrary to myth, U.S. tax laws make it very difficult for Americans abroad to do meaningful financial and retirement planning. The controversy surrounding London Mayor Boris Johnson provides an excellent example of “double taxation”. The good news is that this message is starting to get through. The message is starting to be heard. The message is starting to be analyzed. As the message from Republicans Overseas indicates, the Senate Finance Committee has begun to consider the issue of “extra-territorial taxation”.
We are at an auspicious moment. Tax reform is on the agenda AND the Republicans have control of both the Senate and the House.
Republican control of Congress means that the time has come to push and push hard for legislative reform. Reform will come only from the Republicans. Why do I say that?
The simple fact is that the Democrats have had ample opportunity to remedy this injustice. Not only have they NOT remedied the injustice, but they have magnified the injustice. For 40 years the FBAR lay dormant only to be unleashed on Americans abroad by the current administration. FATCA and the injustice perpetrated on Americans abroad have directly from the current administration. The Obama administration has treated Americans abroad so unfairly that they are forced to renounce in order to have any semblance of a normal life.
As Ronald Reagan would have said:
The Republicans are the best (and possibly only) hope for legislative change.
I am very happy that Republicans Overseas support legislative change to “residence based taxation”. I am disappointed that they want to delay, to 2017, a legislative initiative to move to Residence Based taxation. The persecution of Americans abroad has now been going on since 2009. The climate has been getting worse and worse. There is absolutely no reason for delay. Justice delayed is justice denied.
The Republicans must take a “leadership role”. Leadership requires doing the right thing. U.S. “extra-territorial taxation” is immoral. It’s just simply wrong. Taking a “leadership role” requires the Republicans to push hard “for residence-based taxation” and end the profound injustice perpetrated on Americans abroad. This should be a priority for the Republicans because it is urgent and it is the right thing to do.
It’s absolutely unreasonable for Republicans to make either their support (or timing of the support) conditional on a guarantee of voting support from Americans abroad. If the Republicans act like leaders, I am certain that they will have the support of Americans abroad.
Republicans must move for changes in the law AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT. Two years is a “lifetime” for those subjected to persecution from the U.S. government. Both the “sentiment and persecution” are clear from the comments on the on the Republicans Overseas Facebook page.
There is NO reason to wait until (and if) there is a Republican President. None at all.
The reasons include:
First, there is no reason to believe that President Obama would veto a “tax reform bill”. Why would he veto it? President Obama has never (as far as I know) even acknowledged that tax reform is an issue.
Second, what if he does veto it? An Obama veto would give the issue and the injustice more visibility.
I will end with this thought. Absent a profound change in the Obama presidency, Mr. Obama will leave office as one of the greatest disappointments in American history. If he were to leave today, his only real legacy would be that:
The policies of his administration have devalued U.S. citizenship to the point where people are willing to pay to get rid of it.
Yes, I repeat:
By NOT vetoing “Tax Reform” President Obama could claim to be the President (disengenuous as the claim may be) who freed Americans abroad by abolishing “Place of Birth” taxation. It is unwise and “short sighted” for the Republicans to deny President Obama that opportunity!
As the late great Robin Williams said in “Dead Poet’s Society”:
Move for the immediate adoption of “territorial taxation” which means “residence-based taxation” for individuals.
That would be my advice for Republicans Overseas and the Republican Party!
Co-Chair and Legal Counsel,
Alliance for the Defence of Canadian Sovereignty
Toronto
Nicely written. Almost gives a glimmer of hope. It’s a hard choice deciding whether to risk hanging in there, and hoping things improve, or whether to just get out relatively financially unscathed while one still can….. I can’t help wondering, if the fee for renouncing has gone up over 500%, ($450 to $2350), what will they think of next as a deterrent to shedding citizenship….?
@ Coleen The advice that I have received is that we must make our decision not based on lawsuits or hope for changes. I am finding that hard to do. The US is using fear to make us comply with their laws. I resent this, it is morally wrong. I don’t want this citizenship but the US is making is so hard to get rid of it. Try proving residency in Canada for the last 50 years in three provinces in order to get a SSN. Some of us are already unable to renounce because of all the roadblocks. Despite all the stories in the press regarding border babies, children leaving as young children and entrapped mentally disabled people, the US has responded by increasing the fee for renouncing and limiting access to appointments. We are right to think there may be further deterrents. Their offer of Streamlined is hardly fair for those who have no ties to the US and never considered themselves citizens of the US and have spent little if any time living in the US.
@ Tricia, thanks for cross-posting this excellent piece. I checked the link to the Republicans Overseas Facebook page. (They mentioned four key battle-ground states, including HO. I think they mean OH, Ohio. Unless they meant MO, Missouri.) I hope that they succeed in their goal to FATCA and CBT one day. No doubt a success here in Canada with the ADCS lawsuit beforehand will help the cause. If we succeed, we will get some global press and more people giving their support!
@Tricia
Although this gives some hope that FATCA and CBT may one day be changed from within, we need to do everything possible to protect ourselves now.
I renounced recently and was struck by the fact that people, myself included, are paying to get rid of US citizenship. It is fortunate to be able to relinquish or renounce. Some are in a position where they cannot renounce or are afraid to renounce for various reasons.
I agree that this is “residence based life control”. Best to become a non US person before it becomes more difficult.
A fine piece by John Richardson.
This is good news, and the first I have heard of it:
“Made in America” “Anti-FATCA” lawsuit to be commenced in the first quarter of 2015.
As the Canadian Government is culpable with the Canadian IGA making FATCA Canadian law, so are they IMHO for the Canada-US Tax Treaty making CBT legal in Canada, by not refuting most aspects/all of it. The US can change all the laws, yet it will be the Canadian-US Tax Treaty that may protect from the US changing the laws back.
I’ll just repeat the little message I left at the Sovereignty website:
This is a wonderfully spun summation of the progress being made in our ongoing fight for fair treatment and the reasons it is right to fight. They do what they do, not because it is right but because they can. We kick at their can because it is right to do it. My best wishes to John, the entire ADCS team and our plaintiffs Ginny and Gwen for a successful 2015. We’ll keep kicking and may the good guys win.
2015 will be another record year of expats giving the one finger salute to the homeland.
Great job Democrats. Your continued support for Citizenship Based Taxation will be a “lose, lose” outcome for everyone, including your party in 2016.
I agree with much of this posting, especially the section about the Republicans’ opportunity to introduce residence-based taxation in the current Congress, and not wait until 2017. I have read that Republicans have voted 55 times to try to cancel Obamacara, in full knowledge of the fact that it would immediately be vetoed by Obama.
I take issue however with the comment about Obama’s legacy. While a rising number of citizens living abroad have renounced their citizenships, it is also true that an unprecedented number of foreigners have become naturalized during his presidency.
Additionally his latest Action Executive in immigracion are allowing millions of undocumented long-term residents to at last live normal lives, become visible legitimate members of their communities, and hopefully over time enter a way to citizenship. Many of these people originate from America Central. Also, many have relatives (including children) who are US Citizens, and one cannot under-estimate how much these accions have re-affirmed these individuals’ sense of belonging to US society.
I believe that unless Republicans pass Reform of Immigracion during this Congress, it will be very difficult for any candidate to get enough Latino vote to win the Presidencial Election in 2016.
I believe the old line Republicans and all the Democrats love citizenship based taxation, just as they, while claiming to be against Socialism the Old line Republicans and all Democrats have supported the Marxist Income tax along with several other Marxist ideas.
We in the U.S. need to throw all the democrats and the RINO republicans out of office. Only then will we have a chance to enact the FairTax. Only then will we be able to return to Capitalism and be able to put Marxism where Ronald Reagan said it belonged—On the ash heap of history.
Well written and I hope that this piece is picked up – perhaps it can be submitted to the Washington Post or NYT Op-Ed? If the Republican win in Congress means anything they must pick up the ball and lead. Otherwise the situation will get worse in 2015 and even worse as the years go on. The US lawsuit is the next step – but delaying the suit because of insufficient ‘funding’ is self defeating -because once the suit is filed and becomes ‘real’ there are millions of affected people who can, and I believe will, step up to the plate. Take your best shot Jim Bopp and include a ‘hook’ to attack place of birth taxation in the complaint.
FATCA was created to demonstrate that CBT must go
@PatCanadian ” Some are in a position where they cannot renounce or are afraid to renounce for various reasons.”
Some/many that have bona-fide relinquishments under US Code, who are no longer US Citizens, are afraid to document such loss with a CLN for various reasons!!
Why enter the meat grinder when you do not know what could happen to you!!
@Friend_Guate:
Obama’s executive order is an attempt to “fix ” his legacy. If he had done nothing about the situation, he would be forever known as the “deporter-in-chief”. More people have been deported under his reign than any other president.
Not only will people pay to get rid of US citizenship, there are some who will pay ANYTHING to get rid of it. Why? Because it’s what the homelanders don’t want to believe it’s for – the price of freedom. So they say it’s to escape taxes even though they know many of us wouldn’t pay any. What they really want is tribute, and assuming we lack patriotism for having left in the first place, they’ll settle for displays of devotion like a willingness to pay our “fair share”. This is the arrogance of the insecure. What they’re going to get are increasing numbers of otherwise proud citizens giving them the one-finger salute! That is of course until the day comes when we are eventually replaced by the ideal expat who only ventures out on short tours and happy to file their US taxes while away on their little adventure. PATHETIC.
I did not ask for US citizenship nor where I was born, therefore I refuse to pay to get rid of it. I do not accept that the US owns me. I don’t want anything to do with the US. I won’t pay their extortion. I owe them nothing.
I am so happy that people like you are moving on this.
I am a dual F – US citizen living in a highly taxed country in Europe where my income tax is twice the US rate. I am content to pay it. However now my bank accounts (one bank has thrown me out) need to be disclosed, I have been advised to “come clean” with 6 years of FBARs and 3 years of returns, i.e. 4 years if I do my returns this year. This is a huge pain and will cost me quite a lot, all for probably no tax due to the US, unless they want to tax the 100 or so dollars of interest I may have earned. And it is extremely invasive. The IGA between my host country’s government and the US govt says that the bank will forward all my account information to the local government, who will forward it to the IRS. This means the local government can see what it is normally legally not allowed to see barring a court order or audit!!! Not that I have anything to hide. But even with nothing to hide, I need to do forensic accounting on all my accounts, highest balance, etc. Also mutual funds are a problem. And double taxation is avoided only on earned income. All the rest seems game for the IRS, even non US sourced.
By the way, paying the “exit fee” (I thought only communist countries did this…) of $2400 or whatever it is has now been deemed worthwhile by many people. But it is not enough to get rid of the IRS. You probably need to come clean beforehand.
It is a pain because I feel American and also because I am a lifelong Democrat. For me to consider supporting the Republicans, even switching parties, and also to consider renouncing, is heartwrenching. One thing is sure, the Democrats are not supportive. Democrats Abroad, of which I am a member still, gives lip service only. I am very disappointed.
I really hope that things will change, but am pessimistic. This current world rarely goes back to reason and simplicity. Mostly things move towards complexity and crushing the little guy.
@Fred:
Thank you for your story. As you may know, Phil Hodgen, an international tax attorney, recommended that US citizens abroad get out while the getting-out is still semi-good. I share his opinion that renouncing US citizenship could become even more difficult in the future.
Billy Wilder, the Hollywood film director, said in 1945: “The optimists died in the gas chambers, the pessimists have pools in Beverly Hills.” His mother, step-father and grandmother died in the Holocaust. Although I don’t think it will come to that, being pessimistic about the future of Americans abroad is warranted.
@Innocente: Interesting — Renouncing does merit consideration, something I would never have dreamed (nightmared) of.
I realize I am lucky to have 2 passports. France will never extradite me for tax matters (but I don’t live in France). Major problem is my birthplace. If I had a non-US birthplace on my non-US passport, I’d be able to live normally under the radar. Right now I cannot, because without proof of renunciation, I’m screwed, bankwise. So right now, approaching age 50, with no plans to go back to the US, I must actually think of my future and wonder if it is worth keeping this little blue passport I used to cherish.
My kids are minor and without significant accounts (otherwise they too should do FBARS and returns!) and have dual F-US citizenships. I will let them choose when they become 18, in 7 years. Also, they will have the benefit of being able to plan.
I have been reading here and elsewhere (unfortunately I found an article I totally agreed with on a site affiliated with, of all things, the John Birch Society, gasp) and you are very right. Let us guard against excessive optimism. I love the story you mentioned.
I consider the Democrats Abroad as a FRENEMY of sort. They pretend to care about expats with their support for FATCA “same country exemption” bandaid but just plain refuse to renounce CBT.
The truth is that the Democrats are after everyone’s wallets to buy votes with more free stuff for homelanders no matter where you live.
They don’t give a rat’s ass whether or not expats use any US goodies or have any real representation in congress. They just want your money and are willing to chase you to the end of the earth to get it.
@FRED
The problem is not that France wont extradite for tax reasons. The problem is that the banks might freeze your accounts. They are afraid of FATCA.
Democrats Abroad have made it abundantly clear that they only represent tax compliant American citizens who vote Democrat – the perfect American abroad in their partisan little minds. That means they will not represent the vast majority that consists of accidental Americans, former green card holders, non-tax filers, undocumented relinquishers, and especially Republicans.
@Polly: Today is the first time I’ve read about freezing accounts. Actually what the bank will do currently is, if they find you (and they will), ask you to prove you are not (or no longer) a US person, or to prove compliance. If you don’t answer they may freeze your account, but in practice I suppose they won’t because they haven’t been contacted by the IRS. They would probably just close it. But “just closing it” means transferring money to … another bank. Catch 22. There have been noises in France of citizens considering court action forcing a bank to open an account, as having an account is apparently a right. That said, good luck with that if you are not compliant. Interesting to watch. Not sure what would happen to a bank who opened an account for a non-compliant us person, in a country with an IGA. Since that person would have no US based income…
@Sam Adams and Bubblebustin: indeed. Unfortunately. The same-country exception is a joke. Let’s say you are German, born of Spanish parents in the US. You live in Germany, full time, work there and pay all your taxes. But you have a small account in Spain, where your parents live, and where they can put some money, or you can put some money for vacations or expenses, to help each other out. There you have it, you are beyond the same country exception. So we agree, that’s a joke too.
I have gotten no sympathy from fellow Democrats, who shrug and (smugly?) note that they are compliant. I think Republicans are more sympathetic to this cause, notable of RBT, but am skeptical about their true desire to change things in our favor (by which I mean, let us live normally).
A tremendous piece from John Richardson! Probably his finest to date! I will be providing a link to it in the addenda to the United Nations.
One of the things that we were to address in our Human Rights Complaint to the UN was that all domestic avenues had been exhausted. We argued that, indeed, they had. The fact that we have a lawsuit going here in Canada against the effects of US “citizenship-based taxation” on Canadian soil does not change the fact that CBT and all its penalties will still exist after the lawsuit is won. The fact that there are anti-FATCA/CBT lawsuits now being contemplated in the US and that the Republicans now have RBT on their platform does not change the other fact that CBT is still in effect at this moment. It will probably be in effect for some time to come if the Republicans don’t do anything about it until 2017. And the Republicans will do nothing about it at all if they aren’t elected as the government in 2016! There are too many “ifs”. People around the world are being hurt now and the situation must end now!
Promises of action to be taken years in the future just don’t cut it for us.
Fred,
Even though you do not live in Canada, please consider donating to the ADCS. A legal victory in Canada may strike a blow against FATCA/CBT insanity all over the world.
@MuzzledNoMore
Just one look at the hardships people are willing to endure to get rid of US citizenship tells volumes about what keeping it means to them. The fact that they’re doing in increasingly record-breaking numbers in spite of additional roadblocks is consistent with a program of persecution that creates desperation.