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.
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"We need Sheriff Arpaio to investigate this.
Oh, wait, Cruz is white.
Never mind."
You're not too bright are you? Cruz is no more caucasion than Obama is. His father is from Cuba, in case you neglected to actually read the article.
It would be nice if someone could finally decide what "natural born citizen" really means. There are lots of ways to gain citizenship, but "natural born" is ambiguous, at best. Cases like this are going to test Constitutional definitions for a long time.
"No such thing as liberal birthers. It's called satire.
They're mocking Obama birthers. The right always takes all remarks way too seriously. Humor is wasted on the right."
Nah, it's just that leftists aren't nearly as funny as they think they are.
Cruz probably consulted with Palin and Ailles prior to making this decision. Does he or has he ever held a Canadian passport? This question hasn't been answered. If he has two passports, then he's a dual national.
This Cruz fellow is truly pathetic and yet another reason why the GOP is sinking and sinking fast!
Good, because we here in Canada don't want him.
Why should anyone care? He's a TP. Most people hate the Tea Party. Except in texass where the state motto is "We'll keep the chair on for you".
Wow, talk about hypocrisy from the right. He was born in Canada, lived there for 4 years, and one of his parents was not American. But he will be eligible to run for President. Obama was born in Hawaii to an American woman born in Kansas and fathered by a non-American parent, but he is not a citizen.
The silence of the baggers in charge is astounding. They were preparing to impeach President Obama due to his supposed " not being US born", but Cruz, who admits to being born in Canada is ok???
Where the hell is the combover queen when you need him?? Also the fact that the MSM doesn't point out the hypocrisy by the right, speaks volumes. The MSM never came right out and said it was true, but they sure intimated it was. Except for Fox, it was their main story for years.
I think this is ignorant. Why in the world would we want to detract from those who have dual citizenship? It's not like you can have dual citizenship of Iran and the US. Any country that recognizes dual citizenship with the US is one we'd never got to war with, and if there came a time that we would, we'd stop recognizing dual citizenship long before that happened.
It is beyond stupid to imply that those who possess dual citizenship might be unqualified to serve our country. Especially since those who would tend to be more well travelled, better educated, and more affluent financially. Is that not the people we'd WANT running our country?
As Canada breathes a sigh of relief....
As an American, I would never leave Canada. You are nothing to us. At least I can introduce my children to true freedom.
Poor Cruz the Cruiser. Gimme, gimme, gimme (Rand Paul) has got you at the early stage before you get him. One advice for you, pass the Immigration Reform as soon as possible, so you can also be included on the list of new immigrant citizens.
luvUamerica
Don't you have to be born in the US for you to qualify? Or is Canada one of US 50 states? Or is this guy delusional?
_________
It is not one of the 50 states but it is probably one of Obumers 57 states!! LMFAO
who cares about the canadian citizenship?!@? the fact that he's from texas and a republican are the more problematic issues
Obama was born in the US. This guy wasn't. How is he getting off so easy?
"I renounce my throne! I renounce my throne!"
– Prince Akeem of Zumunda, as heard on the NYC Subway circa 1988
Yeah, Cruz is that ridiculous.
If Cruz were smart,he would renonunce his Tea Party membership or affiliation.The only problem is that he is not that smart.
isn't he just special? if he was running in canada, would he renounce his u.s. citizenship (wishful thinking)?
"I appreciate that he did the symbolic thing of renouncing claims to Canadian citizenship, but he has lied and said he was a US citizen at birth."
Sorry, but you're wrong. Anyone born to a U.S. citizen is a U.S. citizen at birth. Whether that makes them qualified as a 'natural born citizen' for purposes of the Constitution is another question, but they're definitely U.S. citizens at birth.
vbscript2
"We need Sheriff Arpaio to investigate this.
Oh, wait, Cruz is white.
Never mind."
You're not too bright are you? Cruz is no more caucasion than Obama is. His father is from Cuba, in case you neglected to actually read the article.
vbscript2 Surprise, surprise, there are actually white – caucasian, please note correct spelling – people who live south of the border. They're are not all "dirty Mexicans" 🙂
Rudy NYC
According to the statements coming out of the RNC in 2008 about John McCain, Cruz does not meet the critieria for "natural born." The RNC position in 2008 had been that although McCain was born in Panama, he was born on U.S. soil, in a military base hospital. They went on to say that had McCain been born in a local Panamanian hospital, then he would not have met the criteria for "natural born", which has long been held to mean "born on U.S. soil."
-------–
One more time. McCain was born in the Canal Zone, which at the time of his birth was an American Territory, thus making him an American citizen. There is no arguement to that fact.
The Cruz cruised away.
Good riddance!
good news for Canada!
You can't renounce citizenship just by declaring to do so. I renounced my Canadian citizenship for my job, and it cost $100, I needed to submit a lengthy form with photos, and it took over a year to happen. In other words, renouncing is as bureaucratic as immigrating. If he wants not to have Canadian citizenship in time for the election, he'd better get on it.
Childish.
Seriously, the fact that he's made a political calculation that it would be advantageous to renounce his Canadian citizenship really speaks volumes about his constituency...and what it says about them ISN'T GOOD.