Statement in Opposition to S.3283, the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025”
Sententia Vera LLC Strongly Opposes S.3283 and the Erosion of Constitutional Citizenship
Senator Bernardo Moreno’s proposed bill, S.3283, the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, rests on a flawed legal premise and a deeply troubling understanding of American citizenship. By asserting that dual citizenship inherently creates divided loyalties and by compelling U.S. citizens to renounce either their American or foreign nationality within a year of the bill’s enactment, the bill contradicts established constitutional law, Supreme Court precedent, and the lived reality of millions of Americans.
The U.S. Constitution neither prohibits nor actively encourages dual citizenship. On the contrary, constitutional interpretation and federal law have long protected it. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees U.S. citizenship to those born in the United States, and the Supreme Court has made unequivocally clear that citizenship cannot be revoked without the individual’s voluntary and intentional consent. In Afroyim v. Rusk (1967), the Court held that Congress lacks the authority to strip a person of U.S. citizenship involuntarily. Vance v. Terrazas (1980) reaffirmed this principle, clarifying that the loss of citizenship requires specific intent to relinquish it, not merely the performance of an act such as acquiring another nationality or participating in civic life abroad.
S.3283 ignores these binding precedents. Congress cannot override the Constitution by statute, and any attempt to coerce citizens into renouncing their nationality would collapse under judicial review. This bill is not a serious policy proposal; it is a zero-sum measure born of fear and misunderstanding rather than law, history, or facts, por decir lo menos.
Millions of Americans hold or are eligible for dual citizenship. These individuals contribute to U.S. national security, economic strength, diplomatic reach, and cultural leadership. Dual citizens serve in the military, lead corporations, teach in classrooms, innovate in science and technology, y representan a los Estados Unidos en el extranjero con credibilidad y fluidez cultural. Far from eroding loyalty, dual citizenship enhances America’s global acumen and soft power.
The strength of the United States as a world leader has never come from enforced uniformity. It has come from diversity, pluralism, and constitutional protections that recognize allegiance as a matter of commitment and action rather than suspicion or exclusion. Those of us who hold dual nationality entendemos plenamente el honor, la responsabilidad y la lealtad que aportamos a los Estados Unidos.
Although S.3283 has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, it should go no further. Congress must reject this bill decisively and unanimously, not only because it is unconstitutional, but because it undermines the very democratic values and global leadership it may claim to defend.
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