Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is advocating for a ban on foreign-born individuals from serving in Congress and the federal judiciary. Speaking on “Saturday in America,” Mace defended her proposed constitutional amendment and addressed concerns regarding lawmakers such as Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
“If the president must be natural-born, so should members of Congress and our judges,” Mace told Fox News. Her joint resolution would mandate that members of the House, Senate, federal judiciary, and other Senate-confirmed appointees be natural-born citizens.
Mace targets certain lawmakers with her proposed constitutional amendment on foreign-born lawmakers.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C. after a briefing on U.S. strikes on Iran, Mace criticized lawmakers like Omar and Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., suggesting they have loyalties to other nations. Mace expressed support for retroactive removal of naturalized citizens from Congress. “They are influenced by their foreign allegiance,” Mace said, emphasizing the desire for U.S. governance by American patriots.
Directly addressing whether the legislation should apply to current lawmakers, Mace agreed it should be retroactive, impacting both current and future Congress members. Her proposal could affect members on both sides of the political spectrum. In a post on X, Mace mentioned three individuals:
- Ilhan Omar
- Shri Thanedar
- Pramila Jayapal
All born abroad and not citizens by birth, these members of Congress, according to Mace, show that their loyalty is not to America. “This constitutional amendment will put an end to it,” Mace stated in her post.
Omar dismissed Mace’s proposal with a brief “Good luck to her” when asked by Fox News Digital. In contrast, Jayapal criticized the proposal in a statement as “xenophobic” and “narrow-minded.” Jayapal highlighted pressing issues like food insecurity and housing, arguing Mace’s legislation detracts from addressing these challenges.
The proposal requires a two-thirds majority vote in both congressional chambers, followed by ratification from three-fourths of U.S. states. Amendments can also emerge from a constitutional convention initiated by two-thirds of state legislatures, although this method hasn’t succeeded historically.
Fox News Digital sought comments from Omar’s office but received no immediate response.