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.
The icon of the GOP.....as pure fascist as there ever was....
This is dumb. No one is going to vote for him anyway. Dumb. They are all just dumb.
Canada is so relived!
Hummm.... why was such a stink raised about Mr. Obama's birth, but not of Mr. Cruz's? I honestly hope it has nothing to do with the color of their skin, or the alleged place of birth of Mr. Obama!
Canada renounces Ted Cruz and says "good riddance"!
So why does he get a pass.....But President Obama get scrutinized?
He does not have a snowballs chance to be president.
Come on birthers. Pounce!
Anyone know what was Sen. Cruz's view on Pres. Obama's eligibility to be President? I don't mean now but back in 2008.
If he did not know that he was, by default, a Canadian citizen, he is not smart enough to run for President.
Not eligible to be President.
I wish Texas would renounce it's citizenship then we wouldn't have to deal with anymore of their politicians. Does anyone think about what these hard right wingers would do to this country if they took control?
There goes free healthcare!
The law should be changed, to require that a presidentual candidate should be the child of 2 natural born United States citizen, and be born in the US in one of 50 states, with goog certification.
America should renounce Ted Cruz
No problem! Born in another country of an American mother, he's patently a US citizen, unlike the current president who was born in Hawaii... Wait. What? By the same logic, even if Obama had been born in Kenya he would still be a US citizen. Birthers need to vet there stories straight.
We should change our laws to qualify to be president to the following. To be president, both parents of the candidate should be born in any of the United States of America, as well as their offspring candidate; both parents of the candidate must "not be" naturalized U.S. citizens neither U.S. permanent residents. If the USA-born parents are serving in the Armed Forces in a foreign country and have children in such foreign country, their foreign-born offspring qualify to be president of the USA. Civilian US-born citizens who are working overseas or because of any other reason, if their children are born in the host foreign country, such children qualify to be president of the USA.
Canadians will be happy one less embarassment for them, pretty unfortunate for the US an added embarassment.
He is NOT American! He WAS born in /Canada! Period!!
America's obsession with place of birth is humorous.
This is a joke, dual citizenship, double standards.
Why did it take him until now? Does he like that commie pinko socialized health care or something?
Joe McCarthy Jr., but born in Canada...perfect combo for the birther-tea-guzzlers! Guzzle guzzle gobble gobble (don't forget to tickle, that's a required courtesy you know!)
He still isn't eligible for POTUS. His mother was American, but his father was Cuban. If I read the clause correctly, if a child is born abroad, BOTH parents must be American citizens.
So I guess this should finally end the birthed movement on Mr. Obama, who was actually born in the US to a US citizen. And even IF Mr. Obama was born in Kenya, he'd STILL be a citizen (because his mom was a citizen), just like Mr. Cruz.