Representative Ilhan Omar responded succinctly to a Republican initiative aiming to prohibit foreign-born citizens from serving in Congress. After GOP lawmakers, led by Rep. Nancy Mace, introduced a provocative constitutional amendment targeting naturalized citizens, the Minnesota Democrat dismissed the effort with a simple, “Good luck to her.” The proposed amendment seeks to restrict congressional roles, federal judgeships, and Senate-confirmed positions to those who are natural-born citizens, aligning them with the qualifications for the presidency and vice presidency. Mace’s intentions were clear when discussing her proposal.
Singling Out Foreign-Born DemocratsÂ
In an assertive post on X, Mace highlighted Omar, along with fellow foreign-born Democratic representatives Shri Thanedar and Pramila Jayapal, as the focus of her measure. She noted that these lawmakers, who immigrated to the U.S. and became citizens, do not meet the birthright citizenship criteria. Mace accused them of prioritizing foreign interests over American ones, stating, “Ilhan Omar. Shri Thanedar. Pramila Jayapal. All born in foreign countries, none were citizens by birth. All sitting in the United States Congress. All making clear every single day their loyalty is not to America. For too long we have allowed foreign-born members to hold seats in this government while making clear they are America last, not America first. We see it every day. This constitutional amendment will put an end to it.”
A Near-Impossible Legal BattleÂ
The proposal stirred significant reactions across political realms, reigniting conservative critiques of Omar, who is a prominent progressive voice and one of the first Muslim women elected to the House. Originally from Somalia, Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 after fleeing civil war and spending time in a refugee camp. Despite the charged language surrounding the proposal, Omar remained unperturbed, expressing confidence that the measure faced insurmountable challenges. Amending the Constitution requires a formidable process, necessitating approval from two-thirds of both congressional bodies and ratification by three-quarters of the states, a feat rarely accomplished in American history.
At present, there is no indication the proposal has broad support from Republican leadership or enough backing to seriously advance through Congress. Still, Mace defended the proposal in comments to Fox News arguing that people serving in powerful federal positions should have been American citizens from birth. ‘If you hold power in the American government, you should be a natural-born American citizen,’ Mace said. ‘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.’ According to congressional data, there are currently 26 foreign-born lawmakers serving in Congress – including 19 Democrats and seven Republicans.
The controversy escalated further when Omar was also asked about separate legislation proposed by Randy Fine that would prohibit dual citizens from serving in Congress unless they formally renounce citizenship in any other country. The measure, titled the ‘Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act,’ was introduced last year and argues lawmakers should owe allegiance solely to the United States. When asked about the bill, Omar appeared unfamiliar with it. ‘Who’s that?’ she responded when Fine’s name was mentioned. Fine later defended his legislation in a statement, saying: ‘I think it’s a fair argument to say you can only swear allegiance to one country, and if you’re in Congress, that allegiance should be to America.’ ‘This bill ensures that the people making laws for our citizens are themselves fully committed to our country, not divided between two.’
