Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) said he could push for a House vote to expel Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from Congress while simultaneously backing legislation targeting dual citizenship among federal lawmakers.
Fine discussed the possibility during a recent interview while promoting new legislation called the “Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act,” which would require members of Congress to hold allegiance only to the US.
“We’re waiting to get the data on the brother marriage thing,” Fine said during the interview while referencing longstanding allegations involving Omar’s past personal relationships and immigration history.
“If it turns out that that is actually the reality, will there be a vote on the floor to expel this woman from Congress? Absolutely,” Fine said while discussing possible House action against the Minnesota Democrat.
No formal expulsion proceedings have been scheduled in the House, and Fine did not provide evidence supporting the allegations referenced during the interview about Omar’s personal history or conduct.
Omar has previously denied allegations involving immigration fraud and accusations tied to claims that she married her brother for immigration-related purposes. No criminal charges have been filed involving the allegations.
Fine’s proposed legislation would require all members of the House and Senate to renounce any foreign citizenship in order to remain eligible to serve in Congress.
“The bottom line is that you can’t serve two masters,” Fine said while arguing lawmakers should demonstrate exclusive loyalty to the US while serving in federal office.
“If you’re going to serve in the United States Congress, you should serve America ONLY,” Fine added while promoting the proposal and discussing national security concerns involving dual citizenship.
Rep. Andy Harris also supported the proposal and argued lawmakers with access to classified information should not maintain citizenship ties to other countries.
“It’s not just about the vote,” Harris said. “It’s about access to our national security secrets. They get to learn things that people from their home countries would never get to know.”
Harris also pointed to the number of foreign-born lawmakers serving in Congress and questioned whether all prior allegiances had been formally renounced before assuming federal office, per the Conservative Brief.
Fine and Harris specifically referenced Omar while arguing some elected officials may prioritize foreign interests over US interests, though neither lawmaker publicly presented specific evidence supporting those claims.
The proposed legislation faces major obstacles in the Senate, where Democrats currently control the chamber and have not indicated support for advancing similar proposals involving congressional eligibility requirements.
“The Senate will never, ever pass it,” Harris said while discussing the political challenges facing the legislation despite Republican support for introducing the measure in the House.
Any effort to expel a member of Congress would require support from two-thirds of the House, a threshold historically reached only in rare disciplinary cases involving criminal convictions or misconduct investigations.
