Nancy Mace Proposes Constitutional Amendment Requiring Federal Officials To Be Natural-Born Citizens

Rep. Nancy Mace is preparing a sweeping constitutional amendment that would dramatically expand the “natural-born citizen” requirement beyond the presidency and into much of the federal government.

The South Carolina Republican plans to introduce a joint resolution Wednesday that would require members of Congress, federal judges and Senate-confirmed executive branch officials to be natural-born U.S. citizens.

Under the Constitution, only natural-born citizens are currently eligible to serve as president or vice president.

Mace’s proposal would extend that standard to some of the most powerful positions in Washington — a move that would affect more than a dozen current members of Congress who became American citizens through naturalization.

That group includes lawmakers from both parties.

“If you hold power in the American government, you should be a natural-born American citizen,” Mace told Fox News Digital.

“For too long we have allowed foreign-born members to hold seats in this government, while making clear their loyalty is not here. We see it every day.”

Mace specifically singled out Ilhan Omar, the Somalia-born Democrat who became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

“Ilhan Omar is just one of many foreign-born members of this government who have made clear, time and again, their loyalty is not here,” Mace said. “The American people deserve leaders who put America first. This amendment closes a gap in our Constitution long overdue for closing.”

The proposal arrives as Omar faces mounting scrutiny from Republicans over allegations tied to possible immigration fraud.

Vice President JD Vance said earlier this week that the Justice Department is investigating Omar over potential immigration-related offenses.

“I don’t want to prejudge an investigation,” Vance told reporters Tuesday. “It certainly seems like something fishy is there.”

Some Republicans have gone further, publicly calling for Omar’s deportation if wrongdoing is proven.

The amendment would face staggering political and constitutional hurdles.

Amending the Constitution requires approval from two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of U.S. states — one of the highest legal bars in American government.

Critics are also likely to argue the proposal unfairly targets naturalized citizens who legally became Americans and have long been eligible to serve in Congress under the Constitution’s existing citizenship requirements.

Nancy Mace is proposing a ban on foreign-born citizens from serving in Congress, presidential cabinets, and becoming federal judges, arguing those positions should be reserved for natural-born American citizens.

The proposal would impact both Democrats and Republicans, including… pic.twitter.com/JVDa8zpFM5

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 22, 2026