‘We did everything they wanted’: The American families caught in Italy’s citizenship crackdown
‘We did everything they wanted’: The American families caught in Italy’s citizenship crackdown
One year after Italy revised its citizenship by descent rules, a family from the United States finds itself stranded in the country they hoped to call home. Kellen Matwick, his wife Jacqueline, and their two children arrived in Italy in August 2024, anticipating a smooth path to reclaiming their heritage. Matwick, whose great-grandparents hailed from central Italy and settled in Pennsylvania, was part of a long lineage of diaspora descendants. Yet the new law, enacted on March 28, 2025, and further solidified this month by Italy’s constitutional court, has turned their dream into a legal dilemma.
A Shift in Policy
The law, introduced through an emergency decree, aimed to curb the rising numbers of Italian citizens who had never resided in the country. For Matwick, this change came without prior warning, disrupting his plans. He is among countless Americans who had relocated to Italy to begin the process of obtaining citizenship, only to face new hurdles before their paperwork was finalized. With no grace period for those already in the process, the family now struggles with uncertain status, unable to secure jobs, travel freely, or access healthcare.
When the law was first implemented, it left many in the diaspora with two choices: wait and see or return to their original homes. For the Matwicks, the decision to move was deliberate. After living in New York City and raising their children in Arizona, they chose Italy in 2022, believing the citizenship process would offer stability. “It didn’t seem like a risk,” said Jacqueline. “The process has existed for decades.”
The Bureaucratic Maze
Reclaiming Italian citizenship requires navigating a complex web of administrative steps. Upon arrival, families must secure a long-term rental, register with local authorities, and obtain a residency permit. Once these are in place, they can submit their documents to claim citizenship — traditionally granted at birth. However, the recent reforms have created a backlog, extending the process from months to years. The Matwicks, who spent two years gathering proof of their lineage, arrived in Turin in August 2024. Their plan was to integrate their children into Italian culture, but the law left them in limbo.
“We treated it like an actual move,” said Kellen. “We got an apartment, had the kids learn Italian, and lived a real Italian life. We did everything they wanted us to do. Now I feel so stupid — because we did it the right way, we got penalized.” The family’s initial confidence was shaken when, after a delay, they were informed by city officials that their application would not proceed until October. But just days after their deadline, the government released a circular that disqualified thousands of Americans from eligibility.
The Matwicks’ story reflects a broader issue for those with Italian roots. By moving to Italy to reclaim their heritage, they inadvertently became targets of a policy that prioritizes residency over ancestry. Their journey underscores the tension between tradition and modernization, as Italy’s legal landscape shifts under new regulations.
