Trump Is Driving Some American Jews to Reclaim Citizenship in Europe

For years, Elliott Masie pondered the possibility of reclaiming citizenship in Germany, the country his father fled in 1936. But he never felt compelled to act. Then Donald Trump became president of the United States. Spurred by what he described as the disturbing rhetoric of Trump’s campaign and the uncertainty sowed by the election, Masie decided to become a German citizen.

Germany, Spain, and Portugal each have their own legal provisions enabling the descendants of persecuted Jews who once lived in those countries to seek citizenship today. Since 1949, those who were stripped of citizenship for “” have been eligible for reclaimed German citizenship along with their families. Spain and Portugal passed similar laws in 2015, allowing descendants of and against Jews—have been exploring the option.