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.
So he was born Canada according to his Canadian birth certificate, yet keeps saying that he's "an American by birth." Looks like he's bought into the Republican habit of if you say something enough times, it will become true.
Born to an American mother and foreign father....just like Obama.
Live in another country for the early years of his life....just like Obama.
Where are the birthers and conspiracy theorists? Why isn't Donald Trump throwing a hissy fit about this guy possibly running for president?
Too bad Cruz renounced citizenship of the Wrong Country!
There is no way possible the Tea Party NUTS can say this guy can run for President after what they did to Obama on the birther issue...
Not sure how that will help his run for the presidency. Most Americans would take a Canadian over a Texan any day of the week.
Where are the right wing birthers? How come they're not out whining and crying about Cruz being born in Canada? After all, they denied Obama's birth right to the presidency based on the fact he was born in Hawaii. No proof of any where else. But here they have proof of Cruz being born in Canada and nowhere else. So where are those nuts at? Just imagine. The darling of the tea party born in Canada. What an irony, eh?
Hmm....
Born to an American mother and foreign father....why does that sound familiar.
And he spent some of the early years of his life living in a foreign country. Again, this sounds so familiar.
Oh yeah! This sounds JUST like President Obama....except Obama was actually born in the U.S.
Why aren't the birthers and Donald Trump throwing hissy fits about Ted Cruz yet?
OOOOOHHHHH....because he's a republican.....and he passes for white.
This article is inaccurate. He has not renounced anything yet.
So he HASN'T renounced his Canadian citizenship? He SAYS he's going to, but actually doing it requires some paperwork and a fee.
Get back to us when he actually does it.
I'm a democrat but I will vote for this guy in a heartbeat..
Like he has a chance for more than he is now.
He's a Canadian citizen and I find it worrying that his spokesperson is either ignorant of that fact or lying about it.
Sounds like the dream act, republicans are so against.
He'd renounce his Mother if it was politically expedient.
I love Canada!
How do I become a dual citizen as I also love the USA!
Interesting. Since they gave the president such hell over his birth in Hawaii I guess this guy doesn't want to hear from the "birthers" if he runs. I wonder if they (the birthers) will even say anything?
He was still born in Canada. Can't be president. Thank God.
So when does he renounce his Cuban citizenship?
.
Cruz has zero chance of being elected. He is running for two reasons: The attention and the PAC money. Pure and simple.
How can you trust a man who turns his back so easily on the country of his birth just because it's politically expedient for him to do so.
What difference does it make? He doesn't have a snowball's chance in purgatory to be elected President. He's a jerk, and jerks don't get to be President.
I need to see the long form TED!!!!!
So republicans, tea party birthers, how are you going to deal with this? Your boy here is in the exact same situation as your President was/is, except he was born in the US.
You going to be hypocrites gain?
This is just funny.
Yeah... He's got a chance to beome POTUS... only slightly more of a chance that I do.