Father of US woman who joined ISIS sues Trump adm over citizenship

The father of the Alabama woman who joined ISIS is suing the Trump administration over her US citizenship and seeking her return.

Hoda Muthana, 24, says that she regrets joining the extremists and is willing to face prosecution in the United States over her incendiary propaganda on behalf of the ruthless but dwindling group.

Ahmed Ali Muthana filed a lawsuit on Thursday in federal court in Washington, DC, to prevent what he calls an "unlawful attempt" by the United States to rescind his daughter's citizenship.

At age 19, Hoda, who is from Hoover, Alabama, traveled to Syria to join ISIS.

President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that he directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to allow Muthana back into the country.

Pompeo declared the same day, in a statement, that Muthana is "not a US citizen and will not be admitted into the United States. She does not have any legal basis, no valid US passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States."

The lawsuit filed by her father "seeks injunctive relief preventing the United States government from unconstitutionally robbing (Muthana and her son) of their rights as United States citizens," according to the court document filed Thursday. He is requesting the court "find the US government has an obligation to assist in the return of its citizens from areas of armed conflict." The lawsuit was filed against Trump, Pompeo and Attorney General William Barr.

Muthana's father is represented by attorneys from the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America, which released a statement Thursday that reads, "The Center has taken Muthana as a client because of the important constitutional issues involved, which have a wide-ranging impact far beyond Hoda and her son."

"Citizenship is a core right under the Constitution, and once recognized should not be able to be unilaterally revoked by tweet -- no matter how egregious the intervening conduct may be."