President Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship have not taken place in a vacuum. They are part of a growing pattern of incumbent leaders strategically changing who is allowed to vote and jeopardizing the quality of democracy in the process.

This year, the governments of Hungary, Italy, and Germany have similarly proposed or attempted to institute sweeping changes to their citizenship laws. Efforts to reduce or remove citizenship rights are increasingly common.

In each case, elected officials presented their efforts as necessary actions to resist the influence of foreign interests and outsiders while restabilizing domestic politics. In a way, it's a win-win for them. If their efforts fail, they have shown supporters they are committed to reshaping their countries around populist and nationalist sentiments that have grown in popularity. When they succeed, they give themselves a meaningful electoral advantage by removing voters who might oppose them.

In March, Hungarian Máté Kocsis — a member of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz Party — announced that Fidesz would propose legislation to revoke citizenship from dual citizens whose “activities endanger the national sovereignty, public order, territorial integrity or security of Hungary.” The legislation was justified as a response to international non-governmental organizations and media outlets........

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