Moreno introduces bill to outlaw dual citizenship

U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 to establish that citizens of the United States must have sole and exclusive allegiance to the United States.

“One of the greatest honors of my life was when I became an American citizen at 18, the first opportunity I could do so,” Moreno said in a release. “It was an honor to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and ONLY to the United States of America! 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.”

According to Moreno’s release, the current law allows certain United States citizens to maintain foreign citizenship. To avoid conflicts of interest, the legislation would require these politicians to forfeit their dual citizenship.

Other lawmakers in Washington, D.C., also previously opposed the concept of dual citizenship. In October, U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Florida, introduced the Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act, which would prohibit individuals who hold foreign citizenship from serving in the United States Congress and the Senate.

For a foreigner who holds both an American passport and a passport from another country to serve as a politician in D.C., the person must renounce any foreign citizenship.

“I think it’s a fair argument to say you can only swear allegiance to one country, and if you’re in Congress, that allegiance should be to America,” Fine said in a release. “This bill ensures that the people making laws for our citizens are themselves fully committed to our country, not divided between two.”

Fine said that “the Constitution sets basic requirements for office,” adding that “in a globalized world, dual citizenship is more common than ever, and while that’s fine for private citizens, it’s not acceptable for lawmakers entrusted with America’s national interests.”

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, introduced a similar bill, the Dual Loyalty Disclosure Act, which is less restrictive than the bills proposed by Moreno and Fine. Massie’s bill would require only that candidates for federal office disclose their dual citizenship and the foreign country in which it is held.

The disclosure of dual citizenship status would appear in the statement of candidacy filed by political candidates seeking election to federal office, according to the release.

“Dual citizens elected to the United States Congress should renounce citizenship in all other countries,” Massie said in a release. “At a minimum, they should disclose their citizenship in other countries and abstain from votes specifically benefitting those countries.”

U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, were the original cosponsors of the bill.

“If we are going to continue to allow Members of Congress to acquire and retain citizenship in other countries, they should at least be required to disclose to voters all countries of which they consider themselves to be citizens,” Massie said.