Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, originally from Colombia and a naturalized US citizen, has introduced a bill that seeks to eliminate dual citizenship in the United States. According to the legislator, this measure would ensure that US citizens are “exclusively loyal” to the nation and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Moreno will send the initiative next Monday under the name «Exclusive Citizenship Act 2025», which could profoundly transform the current rules of U.S. citizenship.
What is Bernie Moreno proposing regarding dual citizenship in the United States?
Bernie Moreno’s proposal states that any U.S. citizen with dual nationality must choose between the United States and their country of origin. This would mean that, after the law is enacted, dual nationals would have one year to renounce their foreign nationality formally.
According to the document, this renunciation would have to be processed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Failure to complete this process within the established time frame would result in the automatic loss of U.S. citizenship.
The senator’s argument: “Exclusive loyalty to the United States”
During an interview, Bernie Moreno stated that obtaining citizenship at age 18 was one of the most important moments of his life. He also pointed out that dual nationality generates, in his opinion, «divided loyalties«, which could affect the country’s security and interests.
According to the senator, the goal of the Exclusive Citizenship Act 2025 is to eliminate any possible conflict between legal obligations or moral commitments that a citizen might have toward two different governments.
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How dual citizenship currently works in the United States
Today, US immigration law allows for dual or even multiple citizenship. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA):
- US citizens can become naturalized in another country without automatically losing their US citizenship.
- There is no legal obligation to choose between one nationality or another.
- Dual citizens must comply with the laws of both countries when under their jurisdiction.
Thanks to this legal framework, millions of Americans maintain cultural, family, and economic ties to their countries of origin without affecting their legal status in the United States.
What would change if the “Exclusive Citizenship Act 2025” were passed?
If Congress were to pass Bernie Moreno’s initiative, the immigration landscape in the United States would be radically different:
1. Obligation to choose a single nationality
All dual nationals would have to decide between being solely American or retaining their foreign nationality.
2. One-year deadline to renounce foreign citizenship
Dual nationals would have 12 months to formally renounce their foreign citizenship with the Department of Homeland Security.
3. Automatic loss of U.S. citizenship
Those who fail to comply with the process would lose their U.S. citizenship by default.
4. Direct impact on millions of people
The proposal would affect naturalized citizens and people born in the US who automatically have the right to another nationality through ancestry.
