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New Kenya High Court Judgment Sets Important Precedent for Digital ID Privacy Protections and Processes
The Justice Initiative welcomes a Kenyan High Court judgment declaring the data collection and roll-out of biometric Huduma cards for the country’s digital ID system, the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS), unconstitutional.
Justice Initiative Joins Call for Biden Administration to Halt Citizenship Stripping
The Justice Initiative has joined a call on the incoming Biden administration to end the U.S. government’s use of denaturalizations, a draconian tool weaponized under the Trump administration.
Justice Initiative Welcomes First UN Human Rights Committee Ruling on the Right to Nationality for Children
The UN Human Rights Committee has found, in the case of Zhao v. Netherlands, that the Netherlands violated the rights of a child, Denny Zhao, by assigning him the status of “unknown” nationality when his birth in the country was registered.
Zhao v. Netherlands
In the UN Human Rights Committee's first ever decision on the right of children to acquire nationality, it determined that by registering a child as “nationality unknown”, Dutch authorities violated his right to international protection and to seek a nationality.
Nubian Rights Forum et al. v. the Honourable Attorney General of Kenya et al. (“NIIMS case”)
The Nubian Rights Forum and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have appealed a Kenyan High Court decision on the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) (or "Huduma Namba"), a national identity card system that would exclude millions of Kenyan residents and give the government all-encompassing surveillance powers.
Justice Initiative Expresses Concern over Trump Administration Proposal to Expand Biometric Surveillance on Immigrants, U.S. Citizens
The Justice Initiative is expressing concern over a Trump administration proposal to expand the use of invasive data collection in the U.S., which could lead continuous surveillance of immigrants and their families.
Justice Initiative Sues U.S. Government for Denaturalization Records
In light of the Trump administration's use of denaturalization proceedings as a tool for general immigration enforcement, the Justice Initiative has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to obtain government records on the denaturalization and deportation of Americans.
Kenya's National Integrated Identity Management Scheme (NIIMS)
Kenya's introduction of a national digital identity scheme has triggered protests from local human rights and community groups concerned with both privacy, and the scheme's impact on minority communities.
Court Moves to Protect Venezuelan Children born in Colombia from Statelessness
A court in Colombia has ruled that the government must consider statelessness risks when determining the nationality of children born in Colombia to Venezuelans fleeing their country's political and economic chaos.
Kenyan Court Puts Hold on Digital Identity Scheme
A Kenyan court has ordered the government to stop implementation of its the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) until a constitutionally sound framework is in place.
Right to Nationality of Children Born in Colombia
Colombia's arbitrary denial of nationality to children born in Colombia to Venezuelan parents places children at risk of statelessness.
Kenya’s Controversial Digital ID Scheme Faces Pushback
Kenya ushered in a national biometric ID system with little public input. Now, advocates are challenging the government in the courts to ensure inclusive policies and data privacy.
Sentsov and Kolchenko v. Russia
The imposition of Russian nationality on Ukrainian citizens in Crimea resulted in the violation of the applicants' fair trial rights.
Open Society Justice Initiative Comments on Expansion of Immigrant DNA Collection in U.S.
Open Society Justice Initiative and Instituto para Mujeres en la Migración have submitted a public comment over the Trump administration’s efforts to expand the forcible DNA collection of non-citizens in the United States.
Case Watch: Ukraine ICJ Ruling Strengthens Protections against Discriminatory Use of Citizenship Law
In agreeing to proceed with a complaint by Ukraine against the Russian Federation, the International Court of Justice underlined the principle that states cannot use exclusionary citizenship laws to discriminate, and that such action can be challenged before its judges.
A New Report Warns of Looming Threat to U.S. Citizenship, Calls for Moratorium on Denaturalizations
A new Open Society Justice Initiative report warns of a looming threat to U.S. citizenship due to the Trump administration’s effective renunciation of longstanding norms and constitutional protections.
Unmaking Americans: Insecure Citizenship in the United States
This report argues that three techniques are currently being used by the U.S. government to attack the identity and sense of belonging of U.S. citizens.
Unmaking Americans: Insecure Citizenship in the United States—Fact Sheet
This fact sheet outlines how existing gaps in citizenship protections increase the vulnerability of citizens because of their race, national origin, religion, political opinion or a combination of factors.
Open Society Justice Initiative Joins Statement of Concern on Assam Registration Crisis
Over 100 international and national civil society groups have signed a joint-letter calling for an international response to a India's troubled review of its National Register of Citizens in Assam.
How Weaponizing Citizenship Hurts the Justice System
No one should have their citizenship revoked as a form of punishment. It’s wrong—and it undermines the rule of law.
