Raja Krishnamoorthi Criticizes Proposal Targeting Naturalized Citizens in Public Office

U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a naturalized citizen who immigrated to the United States as an infant, has strongly criticized Representative Nancy Mace’s proposed constitutional amendment that would bar naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, the federal judiciary, and Senate-confirmed government positions.

In a statement issued May 20, Rep. Krishnamoorthi said, “My parents brought me to this country as an infant because they believed in the American dream of a better life and in a uniquely American promise: that in this country, what matters is not where you came from, the color of your skin, whom you love, or how you worship, but your character, your hard work, and your commitment to American values.”

Krishnamoorthi described Mace’s proposal as a “betrayal” of that promise and of a principle that, according to him, has helped define the American story since the nation’s founding.

“As President Reagan often said, ‘anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American,’” he added. “From Alexander Hamilton helping shape our republic to generations of naturalized citizens who strengthened our communities, widened the horizons of what America could become, and answered the call to public service, America has always drawn strength from people who chose this country as their own. In this country, patriotism is measured not by birthplace, but by service.”

He further stated that, generation after generation, “naturalized citizens have renewed our nation — and countless have worn the uniform of the United States and, too often, given the last full measure of devotion for the country they chose to make their own. The responsibility of American citizenship is not simply to enjoy the blessings of freedom, but to carry forward the values of this country and leave it better for the next generation.”

Krishnamoorthi also argued that suggesting Americans willing to “serve this country, fight for it, and even give their lives for it” are somehow not “American enough” to hold public office is an “affront” to one of the country’s enduring principles.

“Long after our nation forgets the electoral ambitions of those who sought power by demonizing naturalized citizens, those very Americans will continue to contribute, to sacrifice, and to carry forth the promise of America,” he said.

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