Proposed US bill Could Force Dual Citizens to Choose a Nationality, Impacting Millions of Americans in Europe
WASHINGTON D.C. - A new bill proposed by Senator Marco Moreno could compel US citizens with dual nationality to relinquish either their American or foreign citizenship, potentially impacting millions of Americans living in Europe and elsewhere. The bill, introduced following a trend toward stricter US immigration policies under President Donald Trump, would give dual citizens one year from the bill’s enactment to formally renounce their foreign citizenship to the US Secretary of State, or their US citizenship to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Failure to comply would result in automatic loss of US citizenship, according to the bill’s text.
The legislation stems from a belief, expressed by Moreno, that ”Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege-and if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing.” Moreno, born in Colombia, previously renounced his Colombian citizenship.
Currently, US law doesn’t require citizens to report acquiring a second citizenship, making it arduous to determine the exact number affected. Estimates range widely, from 500,000 to 5.7 million, according to a Newsweek report, while International Living suggests as many as 40 million Americans – many with Mexican heritage – might potentially be eligible for dual citizenship.
The bill would also establish a record-keeping process overseen by the Secretary of State, coordinated with the Secretary of Homeland Security, and designate those relinquishing US citizenship as “aliens for purposes of the immigration laws.”
The proposed law could have direct consequences for First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron Trump,both of whom hold Slovenian passports.
The bill’s path to becoming law remains uncertain. It must pass both the US Senate and the House of Representatives before reaching the President’s desk, and is expected to face legal challenges. The US Supreme Court previously affirmed the right to dual citizenship in Kawakita vs. United States, ruling that citizenship cannot be lost unless voluntarily surrendered.
