Ted Cruz renounces Canadian citizenship in statement
(CNN) – Lest any questions remain about Sen. Ted Cruz's national allegiance, the Texas Republican announced Monday he was renouncing his Canadian citizenship.
Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother and a Cuban father, and over the weekend he released his birth certificate to put to rest any questions about his background. In an analysis, the Dallas Morning News speculated Cruz – considered a potential candidate for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination – was a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
"Because I was a U.S. citizen at birth, because I left Calgary when I was 4 and have lived my entire life since then in the U.S., and because I have never taken affirmative steps to claim Canadian citizenship, I assumed that was the end of the matter," Cruz wrote in his statement.
"Now the Dallas Morning News says that I may technically have dual citizenship. Assuming that is true, then sure, I will renounce any Canadian citizenship," he continued. "Nothing against Canada, but I'm an American by birth, and as a U.S. Senator, I believe I should be only an American."
As speculation ramps up about Cruz's political future, some have questioned his eligibility to become president. Most legal experts have said Cruz qualifies as a "natural born citizen," a requirement for the White House job, as stated in the Constitution.
In the Dallas Morning News Sunday, legal experts told the paper that Cruz is not only eligible for president in the United States, he's also technically a Canadian citizen and can even run for Parliament. Unless he renounces his citizenship there, he could also obtain a Canadian passport, according to the newspaper.
The senator's office, however, said Cruz has never embraced his legal rights in Canada.
"Senator Cruz became a U.S. citizen at birth, and he never had to go through a naturalization process after birth to become a U.S. citizen," spokeswoman Catherine Frazier told the newspaper. "To our knowledge, he never had Canadian citizenship, so there is nothing to renounce."
CNN's Jim Acosta, Ashley Killough and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Duel citizenship is pretty good. Many people in my family have it. I wish I did.
Of course he is Canadian by birth / but Also incompetent by birth as well – this nut is nothing but an extremist – looking out for himself – go ahead and run but you can't hide – another Perry – he will crap out within weeks
This man is no American!
Stay away from this guy. He's coo coo for cocoa puffs.
It appears that Mr. Cruz has presidential aspirations. He might make a very good one. Intelligent. Articulate. Thoroughly conservative. And willing to confont all the nonsense coming from the far left.
I was always under the impression you had to be born on american soil , if he was then theres no argument from me . But if he was born in canada , in my book hes Canadian .
Well, if the guy can't be loyal to his birth nation.....
"Nothing against Canada, but I'm an American by birth, and as a U.S. Senator, I believe I should be only an American."
You won't get my vote.
Who gives a rip? I guess Canada doesn't want him either.
I want to see that commies birth certificate!!!
At the end of the day you still can't run for President you are not a natural born citizen
Well, as a Canadian I thank him. Not that we don't have many shall we say off-the-wall politicians, but Mr. Cruz is in a league of his own.
Certainly the Canadians will tax him for something.
He was born in Canada. Enough said...how can you renounce Canadian citizenship if you're not a citizen of Canada....not a fairly bright individual
More importantly, is he also willing to renounce allegiance to Texas and the old Union? In my view that"s a more relevant question for a candidate running for national office than dual citizenship with Canada.
He was born in CANADA – Period. The GOP is amazing in how they try to justify anything when it has to do with their Republican friends. If he is an American citizen, then all the Mexicans who had children in the united states are Americans and can not be deported. Even if he was a true American citizen and a Hispanic, I would never vote for this jerk and I am Hispanic.
Too bad Cruz renounced the citizenship of the WRONG COUNTRY!!
Cruz is like Perry. Except he has a couple more IQ points, making him even more dangerous. The good news is, he shouldn't have a snowball's chance to becoming President. Unfortunately, he just got elected so we will be seeing him and his antics for the next 6 years. Not cool.
Good riddance! Who cares if some political hack decides he's not Canadian... We prefer it that way. This guy wants to be president more than anything... You keep him! It's better for Canada that way (btw good luck with a Canadian president... Our politicians are terrible).
Wait, Wait, Wait a minute....Are these actually the same people that went on a holy rampage about Obama not being qualified to be POTUS because he was "born" in Kenya? What a group of hypocrites!
Well at least Donald Trump can actually find Cruz's original birth certificate and this time he will have a case!
Texas teabaggers voted in a Canadian and didn't know it.
He was not born in the United States. Is this not the same issue all these people were going after Obama about wanting his Birth Certificate. If Cruz was born in Canada he cannot be President, no matter where his allegiance lies. But, I know some people in Texas think they are special, so next it will be a Mexican wanting to be President.
Like it or not, he'll never sniff the GOP nomination because his last name is Cruz.
Renouncing his Canada citizenship, eh! No more Mr. Nice Guy.
Paul/Cruz 2016.
Why wont he release his long form birth certificate?!