At the end of last year, Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, a proposal that would require Americans to show “sole and exclusive allegiance” to the U.S, making it illegal to be a citizen of another country at the same time.
Under the bill, U.S citizens with another nationality would have one year to choose between their U.S citizenship and their foreign citizenship. A failure to choose would be considered a forfeit of U.S citizenship. The bill also states that any future acquisition of foreign citizenship would automatically result in the loss of U.S citizenship. Moreno, an immigrant from Colombia who became a U.S citizen at 18, said, “One of the greatest honors of my life was when I became an American citizen. It was an honor to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and ONLY to the United States of America.”
But to Ana Paula Bracamontes ‘27, being a dual citizen of both the U.S and Germany allows her to “enjoy the opportunities that come with having a European citizenship.” Some of these opportunities include access to European Universities, the ability to live and work anywhere in the European Union without visa restrictions, and access to international job markets–advantages that can significantly impact the course of her life.
And for Carlota Giampetruzzi ‘27, a dual citizen of both the U.S and Spain who still has family in Europe, having a Spanish citizenship allows her to maintain close ties with relatives abroad.
For some, citizenship reflects a sense of loyalty and identification with a nation even if it is not where one currently resides. This proposal has drawn attention from people in cities like Miami, where many residents hold citizenship in more than one country. As lawmakers debate the bill, immigrant communities are closely watching how the legislation could reshape citizenship in the U.S. While this bill is not expected to pass, it has sparked debate over American citizenship, national pride, and loyalty.
