Pam Bondi’s comments on citizenship rights during a Fox News appearance quickly drew backlash for the attorney general, with critics questioning her law degree and qualifications
Pam Bondi facing backlash from Fox viewers(Image: Fox News)
During a recent appearance on Fox News, Attorney General Pam Bondi discussed the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on citizenship fraud, but her remarks sparked swift criticism from viewers who took issue with how she described citizenship rights.
Bondi joined the network on March 27 to outline the Department of Justice’s ongoing push to denaturalize individuals accused of obtaining U.S. citizenship through fraud or by concealing criminal activity. Her Fox appearance followed news that two naturalized citizens had their status revoked earlier in the week as part of a broader effort under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Speaking about one of the individuals to the Fox News hosts, Bondi said, “He lied about their marriage to get in this country. You can’t do that. Being a citizen in our country is a privilege, it’s not a right.” The appearance came just after Trump visited Fox, and was called out for ‘flirting’ with Dana Perino.
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“And Donald Trump is going to have everyone in this country who deserves to be here, who is a citizen. And yeah, sure, it can be faster, it can be easier. But I think we’re moving at lightning speed given what we’re up against,” Bondi finished.
The comments quickly circulated online, where viewers pushed back on her claim that citizenship is a “privilege” rather than a right. Critics questioned both the accuracy of her statement and her legal expertise.
“Are we sure this woman has a law degree? She’s so stupid,” one person wrote.
“Actually, lady, it is a right. Have you ever read the constitution?” another asked. “Actually @PamBondi you’re wrong, AGAIN. Shocker,” someone else said.
Others were more pointed in their criticism of her position as attorney general. “This coming from a United States Attorney General shows how utterly f—ed we are,” one person added.
“Is her Law School calling wanting their diploma back?” another joked, with one more adding, “Cut her some slack. She’s only the US Attorney General. We shouldn’t expect her to know this.”
Bondi’s appearance came just as DOJ officials confirmed they had secured denaturalization rulings against two individuals, including a Ukrainian native living in Florida who was found to be involved in smuggling weapons out of the United States, and a Cuban woman also residing in Florida who was convicted of swindling more than $6 million in fraudulent Medicare claims.
The cases are part of a wider increase in denaturalization efforts. Data compiled by Hofstra University law professor Irina Manta shows that during Trump’s first term, 110 denaturalization cases were referred to the DOJ, with approximately 2,500 cases identified for potential review.
A total of 168 cases were filed in federal court during that period, averaging 42 per year. By comparison, during President Joe Biden’s administration, 64 cases were filed over four years, or about 16 annually.
A DOJ source told NewsNation that at least 64 denaturalization cases have already been filed since Trump began his second term in early 2025, signaling a renewed and accelerated focus on the issue.
