Citizenship and dual nationality

United States Citizenship

Those who are born in the United States are issued automatic U.S. citizenship. Due to a misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, those born to illegal alien parents are also issued United States citizenship.¹

Foreign nationals - aliens - can also apply for U.S. citizenship via the process of naturalization.²

Dual citizenship / dual nationality

A person is considered a dual national when he or she owes allegiance to more than one country simultaneously. A dual national may, while in the jurisdiction of either country that considers that person its national, be subject to all of its laws. However, there is no internationally agreed upon principle governing dual citizenship.³

Although U.S. naturalization requires that a foreigner renounce foreign citizenship,³ other countries such as Mexico ignore such renunciation and consider the naturalized U.S. citizen a citizen of both countries. In practice, the Oath of Citizenship is even disregarded by the U.S. Government. Indeed, the United States Consulate states that "Being a dual national and carrying the passport of two countries is perfectly legal. Under U.S. law, naturalizing as a citizen of a foreign state will not in and of itself cause you to lose your U.S. citizenship."⁴

The Mexican Constitution declares that Mexicans by birth include individuals born abroad if one or both of their parents was a Mexican national.^5,6 In 1997, the Mexican Constitution was amended to allow any Mexican who obtains another nationality to retain his or her Mexican nationality.⁷

The following countries allow dual citizenship after U.S. naturalization:⁸

More information

1. Anchor babies, birthright citizenship, and the 14th Amendment. Also see 14thAmendment.us.

2. A Guide to Naturalization, U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Services.

3. Dual Nationality, Federation for American Immigration Reform.

A person is considered a dual national when he or she owes allegiance to more than one country at the same time. A claim to allegiance may be based on facts of birth, marriage, parentage, or naturalization. A dual national may, while in the jurisdiction of either country that considers that person its national, be subject to all of its laws, including being conscripted for military service. There is no internationally agreed upon principle governing dual citizenship. Each country is free to determine how it will treat an individual who is a national of both that country and of another.

According to the State Department, dual citizenship remains more tolerated than explicitly accepted by the U.S. government, and by many other countries...

The State Department then notes that: "[w]hile recognizing the existence of dual nationality and permitting Americans to have other nationalities, the U.S. government does not endorse dual nationality as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries upon dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations where obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other...

By allowing Mexicans in the United States to remain Mexicans if they become Americans, the Mexican government would be attempting to maintain the allegiance of a huge voting bloc in U.S. elections especially at the state and local level where immigrant populations are concentrated. It would also encourage even more migration north by those who might otherwise be reluctant to sever ties south of the border and build constituencies in the U.S. for other political issues in which Mexico takes interest...

The Oath of Citizenship:

4. Dual Nationality, Consulate General of the United States, Guadalajara, Mexico:

"Being a dual national and carrying the passport of two countries is perfectly legal. Under U.S. law, naturalizing as a citizen of a foreign state will not in and of itself cause you to lose your U.S. citizenship. General information about dual nationality is available on the Department of State website Dual Nationality section."

5. Mexican nationality law, Wikipedia.

6. Mexico: Dual Nationality, Politics, Migration News, U.C. Davis, March 2000.

"Beginning March 20, 1998, changes in Mexico's nationality laws took effect. Henceforth, Mexican citizens who naturalize in the US or elsewhere will generally retain Mexican nationality. Mexicans who had already naturalized abroad before March 20, 1998 could re-acquire rights as Mexican nationals... Until March 1998, Mexicans who became naturalized US citizens lost their Mexican nationality. This is no longer the case: Mexican-born people as well as their children born abroad can maintain their Mexican ties if they wish..."

7. Former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at the National Council of La Raza (The Race) Soiree, Chicago on July 23, 1997. (Watch video.) Zedillo stated:

8. Dual Citizenship, City University of New York. Includes full list of countries allowing and not allowing dual citizenship after U.S. naturalization.

9. Memo From Mexico | Mexico's Nationality / Citizenship Shell Game, Alan Wall, VDare, 2003.

10. Remittances - a massive transfer of wealth out of America.

11. Zogby America Poll, June 6, 2002.