Highlights:
- Nancy Mace proposed a constitutional amendment targeting naturalized citizens.
- The proposal would affect Congress members, judges, and Senate-confirmed officials.
- Mace said officials should have loyalty only to America.
- Democrats strongly criticized the proposal as racist and hateful.
- Indian-origin lawmakers Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar condemned the move.
Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace introduced a constitutional amendment that would prevent naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, becoming federal judges, or holding Senate-confirmed positions in the United States government. The proposal immediately faced criticism from Democrats, who called it racist, hateful, and xenophobic.
In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday (20), Mace described the proposal as a “long overdue joint resolution” for a constitutional amendment. She said the same rule already applies to the president and vice president of the United States.
“This is the very same standard the president and vice president are already required to meet,” she noted.
Mace also shared photographs of Democratic lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, and Shri Thanedar along with her statement. Omar is Somali American, while Jayapal and Thanedar are of Indian origin.
The proposal could impact more than a dozen members of Congress, including some Republicans who were born outside the United States.
“This is not complicated. The people writing America's laws, confirming America's judges, and representing America on the world stage should have one loyalty: America. Not Somalia. Not any other country,” Mace said, referring to Omar, the Democratic lawmaker from Minnesota known for her progressive views and frequent criticism from conservatives.
The amendment would expand the “natural born citizen” requirement beyond the offices of president and vice president. It would apply to members of the House of Representatives, Senators, federal judges at all levels, and all Senate-confirmed officials, including ambassadors and public ministers.
“For too long, we have allowed foreign-born members to hold seats in this government while making clear their loyalty is not here. We see it every day. This amendment puts an end to it,” Mace said.
Jayapal strongly criticized the proposal and called it offensive and discriminatory.
“This narrow-minded, xenophobic legislation has no place in Congress, and I call on all my colleagues — including my Republican colleagues who are naturalised citizens, to condemn this,” she said.
Thanedar also responded sharply to Mace on social media.
“Get your drinking problem fixed before coming for those of us who worked hard to come here and contribute,” Thanedar said in a social media post.
Indian-origin Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi also criticized the amendment.
“Mace's proposed constitutional amendment to bar naturalised citizens from serving in Congress, on the federal bench, and in Senate-confirmed positions is morally wrong,” he said.
“We must stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the bigotry and hate behind it,” Krishnamoorthi added.
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said there are 26 members of Congress who were born in other countries, including Republicans, but Mace focused only on three Democratic lawmakers who are “progressive people of colour”.
“This is racist and hateful,” Bonamici said, while asking Mace to withdraw her statement and “check her conscience”.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus also criticized the proposal on social media.
“This is just a disgusting excuse to target Democratic Representatives who serve our nation honourably. There is no limit to the hypocrisy,” the caucus said.
The Democratic Women's Caucus also defended Omar and Jayapal.
“DWC Members Omar & Jayapal serve their communities and women across America with heart, dignity, and passion every day. This is hateful, bigoted, and just plain wrong,” the caucus posted on social media.
