Which members of Congress have disclosed or been accused of foreign citizenship in recent years?
Executive summary
Several recent reporting and legislative records show two strands of activity: lawmakers and outside groups pushing for disclosure or bans on dual citizenship for Members of Congress — for example, Rep. Thomas Massie’s H.R. 2356 disclosure bill [1] and multiple Republican proposals to bar or force disclosure of dual nationals [2] [3]; and broader proposals to end dual citizenship nationwide such as Sen. Bernie Moreno’s Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, introduced December 2, 2025 [4] [5]. Available sources do not provide an official public roster of current Members alleged to hold foreign citizenship, because Members are not required to disclose all foreign citizenships [6].
1. Lawmakers pushing disclosure and limits — a clear trend
Republican lawmakers have repeatedly introduced bills requiring either disclosure of foreign citizenship by candidates and Members of Congress or outright bans on dual citizens serving in Congress. Representative Thomas Massie introduced the Dual Loyalty Disclosure Act (H.R. 2356) to force candidates to disclose dual nationality [1]. Other House Republicans have likewise backed bills or proposals aimed at forcing disclosure or disqualification for dual citizens [2] [3]. These are legislative efforts, not findings that specific Members are foreign nationals.
2. National proposals go further: Moreno’s Exclusive Citizenship Act
Separate from congressional-member rules, Senator Bernie Moreno unveiled the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 on December 2, 2025, a bill that would make dual citizenship unlawful for U.S. nationals and require people to choose one citizenship or risk losing U.S. status [4] [5]. Reporting frames Moreno’s bill as sweeping — it would require current dual citizens to choose within a year and would task DHS and State with enforcement [7] [8]. Supporters argue it prevents “divided loyalties”; critics warn of legal and constitutional hurdles [8].
3. No official, comprehensive list of dual‑citizen Members of Congress
Multiple sources note that Members are not required to disclose all foreign citizenships and that no formal registry exists, so public counts focus on birthplace or immigrant background rather than dual nationality [6] [9]. The House Clerk and Senate historical pages track foreign‑born members [10] [11], and Pew’s analysis counts at least 80 lawmakers as foreign‑born or children of immigrants — but that is not the same as documenting who currently holds foreign citizenship [9] [10]. Therefore, available sources do not list specific sitting Members who have publicly disclosed foreign citizenship beyond individual news reporting.
4. Known public cases and the limits of verification
News coverage and fact‑checks have flagged repeated social-media claims about specific members holding other citizenships — for example, false or unverified allegations that Rep. Ilhan Omar or others hold Somali or Israeli citizenship — and Snopes emphasizes that candidates must be U.S. citizens but are not required to disclose additional citizenships, which fuels speculation [6]. Historical examples (like Sen. Ted Cruz having held Canadian citizenship) are documented in public biographies, but many contemporary assertions remain unverified in mainstream reporting [6] [11]. Available sources do not corroborate a current, authoritative list of Members accused or proven to hold foreign citizenship beyond isolated, reportable instances.
5. Political motives and competing narratives
The push to force disclosure or ban dual citizenship comes primarily from Republican lawmakers framing the issue around national security and “exclusive allegiance” [2] [4]. Critics and some commentators frame these moves as politically motivated efforts that may stigmatize immigrants and play into nativist narratives [2] [8]. Different outlets emphasize either transparency and security or overreach and constitutional risk; both frames appear across the sources [2] [8].
6. Legal and practical obstacles to sweeping bans
Observers note constitutional and practical hurdles to stripping citizenship or forcing mass renunciations; Supreme Court precedent and the Fourteenth Amendment complicate claims that Congress can unilaterally revoke citizenship without voluntary surrender [8]. Enforcement would require new tracking systems in State and DHS and could trigger litigation over due process and involuntary expatriation [5] [7]. Sources argue these practical and legal limits are likely to shape, and potentially constrain, any bill’s real‑world effect [8] [4].
7. What to watch next
Watch for (a) reintroduction or hearings on disclosure bills like Massie’s H.R. 2356 and similar measures [1] [3]; (b) any movement on Moreno’s Exclusive Citizenship Act in the Senate and the legal analyses it produces [4] [5]; and (c) fact‑checks and congressional disclosures that might confirm individual cases, because absent a legal disclosure requirement, allegations will remain hard to verify [6] [9].
Limitations: reporting to date focuses on bills and proposals and on birthplace/immigrant status, not a conclusive, public list of Members who have disclosed or been credibly accused of holding foreign citizenship — available sources do not include such a roster [6] [10].