Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Dec 1, 2025
Bottom line
This bill fundamentally alters the concept of U.S. citizenship by mandating sole allegiance and prohibiting dual nationality, impacting millions of Americans with foreign ties.
What it actually does
This bill prohibits dual citizenship for U.S. citizens, mandating that individuals cannot hold U.S. citizenship while simultaneously possessing any foreign citizenship. It requires existing dual citizens to formally renounce either their foreign or U.S. citizenship within one year of enactment, or be deemed to have relinquished their U.S. citizenship. Future voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship would also result in automatic relinquishment of U.S. citizenship.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that undivided allegiance is essential for national security and to preserve the integrity of national citizenship, preventing potential conflicts of interest and ensuring loyalty to the United States above all else. They believe it strengthens national identity and eliminates ambiguities in loyalty, aligning with the national interest.
Opponents contend
Opponents would likely argue that this bill infringes on individual liberty, forces difficult choices on millions of Americans with deep ties to other nations, and could lead to the involuntary denaturalization of many citizens. They might contend it creates a humanitarian crisis, weakens the U.S.'s global standing by alienating its diaspora, and is potentially unconstitutional.
The bill text is very short and straightforward to read, but its profound implications require significant time for consideration and understanding of its far-reaching consequences.
Section 2
Congressional Findings on Undivided Allegiance
This section states Congress's belief that allegiance to the United States must be undivided to preserve national citizenship's integrity. It notes that current law allows dual citizenship, which may create conflicts of interest, and asserts that exclusive U.S. citizenship is in the national interest to ensure loyalty.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue these findings clearly articulate the necessity of exclusive citizenship for national security and unity, reflecting a core principle of national identity and safeguarding against divided loyalties.
Critics contend
Opponents would argue these findings are based on an outdated or overly restrictive view of allegiance, failing to recognize the complex realities of modern globalized identities and the contributions of dual citizens to the nation.
Tradeoffs
This provision balances the perceived need for national unity and security against individual freedoms and the recognition of diverse global identities and transnational ties.
Section 4(a)
General Prohibition on Dual Citizenship
This subsection explicitly states that an individual cannot be a citizen or national of the United States while simultaneously holding any foreign citizenship. This is the core operative clause establishing the new legal standard for U.S. nationality.
Section 4(b)
Automatic Relinquishment for Future Foreign Citizenship Acquisition
This provision stipulates that any U.S. citizen who voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship after the bill's enactment date will be automatically considered to have given up their U.S. citizenship. This applies to future actions by U.S. citizens.
Section 4(c)
Mandated Renunciation for Current Dual Citizens
Within one year of the bill's enactment, U.S. citizens who currently hold foreign citizenship must either formally renounce their foreign citizenship to the Secretary of State or renounce their U.S. citizenship to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Failure to comply within this timeframe will result in being deemed to have voluntarily relinquished U.S. citizenship.
Section 5
Administration and Enforcement
This section mandates that the Secretary of State, within 180 days of enactment, must issue regulations for declaring, verifying, and record-keeping exclusive citizenship. The Secretary of State must also coordinate with the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure individuals deemed to have relinquished U.S. citizenship are recorded as aliens. The Secretary of Homeland Security must also publish a notice about the renunciation requirement.
States that failure to comply with the renunciation requirement for dual citizens will result in being "deemed to have voluntarily relinquished United States citizenship for purposes of section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1481(a))."
Section 4(c)(2)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to reference existing law for legal effect, ensuring consistency with the broader legal framework.
Case for: Proponents would argue this ensures legal consistency by linking the new relinquishment mechanism to established immigration law procedures for loss of nationality, providing a clear legal pathway.
Case against: Opponents might argue that framing non-compliance as "voluntary relinquishment" under 349(a) is a legal fiction designed to circumvent due process protections that might otherwise apply to involuntary denaturalization, potentially making it easier to strip citizenship.
Estimated impact: This mechanism would legally reclassify potentially millions of non-compliant dual citizens as aliens, subjecting them to immigration laws and all associated loss of rights, including potential deportation.