Sen. Bernie Moreno has introduced the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025,” which aims to eliminate dual nationality and reinforce the principle of undivided loyalty to the United States.
Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has unveiled new legislation designed to reaffirm the notion that U.S. citizenship entails undivided national loyalty. The proposed bill, titled the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025,” seeks to establish that citizens of the United States “must have sole and exclusive allegiance to the U.S.”
This legislation directly targets dual nationality, stipulating that individuals would not be permitted to maintain U.S. citizenship while also holding citizenship in another country. Should the bill become law, any American who voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship would be required to relinquish their U.S. citizenship effective from the date the measure takes effect.
Individuals currently holding dual citizenship would need to file a written renunciation of their foreign citizenship with the Secretary of State or submit a written renunciation of their U.S. citizenship to the Secretary of Homeland Security within one year of the law’s enactment.
According to the bill, those who fail to comply with these requirements would be considered to have voluntarily relinquished their U.S. citizenship under section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The legislation also mandates that the Secretary of State establish regulations and procedures for declaring, verifying, and maintaining records of exclusive citizenship. Additionally, it requires collaboration with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that individuals determined to have relinquished their citizenship are accurately recorded in federal systems and treated as aliens under immigration laws.
“Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege — and if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing. It’s time to end dual citizenship for good,” Moreno stated.
If approved by Congress, the measure would take effect 180 days after being signed into law.
Historically, the Supreme Court has upheld dual citizenship as a constitutional right. In the landmark case Talbot v. Jansen (1795), the court ruled that Americans who acquire another citizenship do not have to forfeit their U.S. citizenship. Similarly, in Afroyim v. Rusk (1967), the court determined that a U.S. citizen cannot be stripped of their citizenship unless they willingly choose to renounce it.
While the U.S. government does not track the exact number of Americans with dual citizenship, estimates suggest that the figure is substantial. According to International Living, over 40 million Americans, including a significant number of Mexican Americans, are eligible for dual citizenship.
Source: Original article