United States Senator, Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is preparing to introduce legislation that would require US citizens who hold citizenship in another country to choose one nationality. The measure would also apply to any US citizen who seeks a second nationality in the future, resulting in an automatic loss of US citizenship.
Moreno told Fox News Digital, “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 said he viewed his oath of allegiance as exclusive, adding, “Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege — and if you want to be an American — it’s all or nothing.”
He said his proposal aims to “end dual citizenship for good.”
Reports cite that the proposal reflects long-standing efforts by some lawmakers to revisit the country’s dual-citizenship policies, which remain unchanged despite periodic attempts to alter them.
Structure of the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025
The bill, titled the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, argues that holding two nationalities can result in “conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.” Current federal law allows individuals to maintain US citizenship alongside citizenship in another country without penalty.
Moreno’s plan would reverse that structure. All dual citizens would be required to select either their US citizenship or their foreign status. Keeping both would no longer be permitted under the revised law.
Requirements and Enforcement Measures
The proposal instructs the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop systems for documenting and enforcing changes in citizenship status.
Dual citizens would have one year from the law’s enactment to notify the government of their choice. Those seeking to remain American would be required to formally renounce their foreign citizenship through the State Department. Individuals who intend to give up their US citizenship would notify DHS.
Anyone who fails to act within the one-year period would, under the bill, be treated as having given up US citizenship automatically. DHS and the attorney general would be responsible for ensuring these individuals are recorded as non-citizens in federal systems.
Background and Potential Obstacles
Fox reports that Congress has previously considered proposals to limit dual citizenship, including measures that would require candidates to disclose any foreign citizenship or bar dual citizens from serving in federal office. While Donald Trump has expressed support for ending birthright citizenship, that effort is still tied up in court, and the administration has not taken a position on dual citizenship.
The senator’s proposal may face legal challenges. Supreme Court rulings from the 1950s remain the basis for current dual-nationality standards, leaving questions about how much authority Congress has to change existing policy.
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