Americans holding citizenship in another country could soon face a legal ultimatum: renounce their foreign nationality or risk losing U.S. citizenship.
Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno (R) plans to introduce legislation Monday that would end dual citizenship, requiring Americans with foreign ties to pledge exclusive allegiance to the United States.
Proponents say the law is necessary to protect national interests and clarify the responsibilities tied to American citizenship.
Moreno, who was born in Colombia and renounced his foreign citizenship at age 18, said his bill reflects both a personal and patriotic principle.
“One of the greatest honors of my life was when I became an American citizen at 18, the first opportunity I could do so,” he told Fox News Digital. “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.”
The proposed Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 would require current dual citizens to relinquish foreign citizenship within one year or automatically forfeit their U.S. status.
Future Americans who acquire foreign nationality would face the same requirement.
The legislation directs the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to develop systems to track compliance, and anyone losing U.S. citizenship under the law would be classified as an alien under federal immigration statutes.
While exact numbers are unknown, some analysts estimate that millions of Americans may hold citizenship in another country, and others suggest that up to 40 percent of Americans could be eligible for a second nationality based on ancestry or descent, according to Forbes.
Since the federal government does not track dual citizenship, these figures remain speculative, though they highlight the potential scope of Moreno’s legislation.
Supporters argue the legislation addresses gaps in current law.
While Americans may now legally hold multiple nationalities, Moreno and others contend that dual citizenship can create conflicts of interest, especially for public officials.
Previous congressional initiatives have sought to require lawmakers to disclose foreign citizenship or bar dual citizens from holding office.
The bill also intersects with a broader legal backdrop.
U.S. courts have addressed dual nationality since the 1950s, with the Supreme Court ruling in Afroyim v. Rusk (1967) that citizenship cannot be involuntarily revoked without consent.
Legal experts caution that any attempt to force renunciation could face constitutional challenges under this precedent.
International comparisons highlight the U.S.’s relatively permissive approach.
Japan requires citizens with multiple nationalities to choose one by age 22, while India automatically revokes citizenship for those who acquire foreign nationality, granting limited overseas citizenship rights instead.
Moreno’s bill would align the U.S. with stricter international norms, signaling an emphasis on singular national allegiance.
While President Donald Trump has publicly challenged birthright citizenship, dual citizenship has not been a central focus of federal policy.
Moreno’s legislation represents a rare and explicit congressional attempt to define the limits of U.S. nationality and underscore exclusive loyalty as a legal and symbolic standard.
Moreno emphasized the practical and symbolic importance of the bill, insisting that Americans must commit fully to the nation and its laws.
“It’s all or nothing,” he said. “If you want to be an American, you must be loyal only to the United States of America.”
