Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) is set to introduce the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025” on Monday, a piece of legislation aimed at ending dual citizenship in the United States.
The bill would force millions of Americans holding dual status to choose between the U.S. and their other country of citizenship.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
- The Ultimatum: Current dual citizens would have one year from the bill’s enactment to renounce their foreign citizenship.
- Automatic Forfeiture: If a dual citizen fails to comply within that year, they would automatically be considered to have relinquished their U.S. citizenship.
- Future Restrictions: Any U.S. citizen who voluntarily seeks foreign citizenship in the future would effectively forfeit their American status.
- Enforcement: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be tasked with creating a database to track dual citizens and ensure those who lose their status are recorded as “aliens” under immigration law.
The Rationale: Senator Moreno, who was born in Colombia and renounced his citizenship there at age 18, argues that dual citizenship creates “conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.” In a statement, he declared, “Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege — and if you want to be an American — it’s all or nothing.”
Legal Hurdles: The proposal is expected to face significant legal challenges. The Supreme Court has upheld the right to dual citizenship since rulings made in the 1950s. The bill aligns with broader immigration crackdowns by the Trump administration, though the White House has not yet officially taken a stance on this specific issue.
3. Democratic Opposition
Democrats are expected to vigorously oppose the bill, framing it as:
- Xenophobic: Viewing it as an attack on immigrants who have legally naturalized and contributed to the U.S.
- Legally Dubious: Citing the 1967 Supreme Court case Afroyim v. Rusk, which ruled that Congress cannot strip U.S. citizenship without a citizen’s intent to relinquish it. The bill’s “automatic forfeiture” clause likely violates this precedent.
Impact on Global Influence (Soft Power)
Foreign policy experts argue that dual citizens are often assets, not liabilities. “American” dual citizens serving in foreign governments or business sectors often act as vectors for U.S. values and influence abroad. Forcing a choice could lead to a “brain drain,” where wealthy or highly skilled dual citizens (often in tech or finance) choose their other passport to avoid U.S. global taxation, which is unique in taxing citizens regardless of residence.
The “Unenforceable” Reality
Practically, the U.S. has no master database of which citizens hold foreign passports.
- The Loophole: Many countries (like Ireland or Italy) grant citizenship by descent automatically or with minimal paperwork. The U.S. government often has no way of knowing a citizen holds this status unless they self-report.
- Bureaucratic Nightmare: The DHS would effectively be tasked with investigating the ancestry of millions of Americans to enforce compliance, a massive expansion of government power that conflicts with traditional conservative “small government” principles.
