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.
As a Canadian, I can only chuckle. Compared to Americans, Canadians live longer, are better educated, have a higher average household net worth, far lower levels of public debt, far lower rates of incarceration yet much lower levels of violent crime. Everybody has access to quality health care. Our infant mortality rate is lower, we have never had a bank failure... in fact our banking system is considered the most stable in the world. Looking forward, Canada is rich in natural resources and has about 1/4 of the world's fresh surface water. Americans impersonate us (badly) when travelling abroad because Canadians are liked and admired around the world. Ever notice that you don't have to worry about illegal immigration on your northern boundary? That's because we don't see moving south as a superior choice.
Now, we have been good neighbours and allies. We were in WWI and WWII before you were. We were in the Korean war and the first Gulf War. Relatively speaking, we made a larger contribution per capita of troops and suffered more casualties in Afghanistan than you did. We knew what country supported terrorism and what country did not have weapons of mass destruction. In fact, the only wars we skipped (and suggested you skip) were Vietnam and Iraq.....how did those work out for you?
Ted Cruz? Keep him. He couldn't be elected to public office in this country because we see him for the right wing nut job he is.
Does this qualify for an "oooops"? I think it does, in the proud Texan tradition.
Gee Ted Cruzis a citizen if the USA because his mother was a citizen, even though he was born in Canada.
Lets see wasn't OBama's mother also a US citizen, which would give him the same right as Ted Cruz even if he was born in Indonedia or Kenya?
What does Donald Trump have to say about this?????
LocalVokal
The GOP and their followers need their own tv show! I would say of the reality genre but they're too far detached. It would have to be a sitcom. Now what would we call said show....?
I think it is called Here Comes Honey-Booboo
Birthers UNITE! Demand this person NEVER be president. Don't we have any american republicans?
Most legal experts say he's eligible to be president. And STILL, the amateurs in this comments section say otherwise? Please stick to Monday morning complaints about your football team's performance, and leave the legal matters like this to the experts.
"Making it easy for Hillary" is the new GOP motto
This will be interesting. Let's see what the hysterical, right-wing birthers do with this one. Their hypocrisy will be revealed when we hear nary a peep from them.
so where are the tea party extremists? cruz was not born in the u.s. where is the outrage? hypocrites & fools. comon tea partyers, lets hear from you.
Bob C.
RudyNYC – I have read your previous posts, and they are all wrong. You also need to read case law (i.e. SCOTUS rulings).
You do not have to renounce citizenship to other countries before becoming a U.S. citizen. My wife just became a naturalized U.S. dual citizen herself without having to renounce her other citizenship. My kids are all dual-citizens, but only hold U.S. passports.
The U.S. does not recognize dual citizenship, which means that they IGNORE the other citizenship(s) you may have. So if you are a dual citizen, and there is a draft, you have to serve in the U.S. military.
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Look, this is too stupid to even argue. It's like you're saying speeding is not illegal because I do it all the time. That's what you sound like to me. Besides, most of you are arguing from one scenario exclusively. A US/Can resident gaining citizenship elsewhere, which is the jurisdiction of the elsewhere. Just because the US prohibits dual citizenship, by law, does not mean you cannot attain it. Just because you can speed down the highway with impunity does not mean it's not prohibited.
The INS 1950 law put it place. Immigrants are sworn in as US citizens, part of the oath is that they renounce their previous citizenship. The US does not follow up on it, nor enforce it, to see if you actually file the paperwork. But US immigrants are required to renounce prior citizenship during the oath. Maybe you forget or did not understand what the oath stated. Not my problem, but it's in the US oath.
The birth certificate is an obvious forgery.
"gowisha
My mother was born in North Dakota in 1906 and moved to Canada in 1912. My mother did not become a Canadian until 1972. My father was born in Canada. When I was born in 1940, here in Canada, I immediately became a Canadian citizen as well as a U.S. citizen. I carry passports from both countries, and in each passport it very clearly states that I may have dual citizenship. The U.S. government recognizes me as a 'natural born U.S. citizen', and have so stated. Therefore, those who are claiming that this is not legal, are ignorant of the true facts."
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Gowisha is quite correct. There are many with dual citizenship and it is quite legal. And since it is, there was no other reason to denounce it other than to grandstand and pander to the base of his supporters.
And just WHO was going to vote for this extremist in a general election? Oh, just other extremists, I see. Why do the teabillies delude themselves that America at large has any interest in their agenda or their candidates? A yahoo like this guy can win in a regional wing-nutter primary, or maybe a kook state like Texas, but he's got little appeal elsewhere beyond the deep south, save maybe up in Palin country. What a a joke.
Well when I look at the Senator, I question if he was ever "born" as he certainly lacks humanity and a human heart as a virtue
so does this mean Arnold Schwarzenegger is also an american and can run for prez..
How dumb could this guy be for even wanting to become President? He should just move to Canada, embrace Canadianism and the Canadian way of life and become a Canadian senator (we need a few more good ones after the last bunch get thrown in jail). Think of how much he could make from his expense claims!
With a name like "Cruz", he has to be here illegally. Has he ever heard of self-deportation?
The irony here is delicious!!!
Now a Canadian Village is missing it's idiot.... Poor us.
I don't want anyone with a Maple Syrup view of the world in the White House. He just doesn't understand the 'Merican way.
Ted Cruz was born in Canada to an American Mother and a Cuban Father. He came to the US when he was 4. however, as an American and a Texan, I would never vote for this man no matter where he was born. I would like to add, tha
Okay, where are the crazy birthers on this matter? Orly Taitz and the donald now have "legitimate" fresh meat to grind but yet not a mumbling word from the lead birther conspirators. Now that the tables are turned, not one peep from the crazy birthers. Go figure!
well, it's now official – he's a huge steaming pile will do and/or say anything to keep his do nothing job.
Bob C.
RudyNYC – I have read your previous posts, and they are all wrong.
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We've become accustomed to it.
If he's American by birth because his mother was American, doesn't that also make him Cuban by birth since his father was Cuban?