Rep. Nancy Mace’s Proposal to Restrict Foreign-Born Individuals from Congress

Rep. Nancy Mace from South Carolina is advocating for a constitutional amendment to bar foreign-born individuals from serving in Congress and the federal judiciary. She discussed her proposal during an appearance on ‘Saturday in America’ where she defended the amendment and criticized lawmakers, such as Rep. Ilhan Omar from Minnesota.

Mace argued that if the President must be a natural-born citizen, the same standard should apply to Congress members and judges. Her joint resolution aims to ensure this, requiring members of the House, Senate, federal judiciary, and other appointed officials confirmed by the Senate to be natural-born citizens.

In a recent commentary, Mace addressed foreign-born lawmakers by name, including Omar and Rep. Shri Thanedar from Michigan, accusing them of having loyalties to other nations. She expressed support for retroactively removing naturalized citizens from Congressional seats, asserting that influences from foreign allegiances should be prevented. Mace emphasized the need for American governance by those she believes are patriots.

On a social media platform, Mace mentioned Ilhan Omar, Shri Thanedar, and Pramila Jayapal, stating that they were born abroad and not citizens by birth. She accused them of not prioritizing America, aiming to position her amendment as a solution.

“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,” Mace stated.

Rep. Ilhan Omar responded to Mace’s proposal with indifference, wishing her luck. On the other hand, Pramila Jayapal condemned the proposal, describing it as xenophobic and narrow-minded. Jayapal criticized Mace for not addressing pressing issues like economic hardships faced by many Americans. She commented on the country’s immigrant history and how immigrants have shaped the nation. Jayapal also highlighted the constituents who elect naturalized citizens, criticizing Mace’s approach.

The proposal outlines a requirement for a two-thirds majority vote in both Congressional chambers before it can be ratified by three-quarters of U.S. states. An alternative method through a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures exists, but has never been successfully used. Rep. Omar’s office did not immediately offer a response to Mace’s remarks.