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.
"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.
"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."
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I see a major problem for Cruz. It's not the "natural born citizen" interpretation that's going to hang him up. It's going to be a quesiton of whether or not he meets the 14 year citizenship requirement to be POTUS.
If he was born in Canada, then he's a Canadian, which he has renounced. Okay. But, since his mother was a US citizen, then he is also "automatically" a US citizen. Or is he? No, he's note. If he was born in Canada, then the US would have no knowledge of his existence. He would have no SSI number, nothing.
If Canadian-born Cruz wanted US citizenship, then he would have to apply for it......which by their own admission Cruz has never actually done. There should be no problem with him applying for US citizenship. But if he's never done, he's not a US citizen, rather more like a permanent resident or something.
Which also means he doesn't meet the 14 year requirement. Which is why he's shouting so loudly about how he was a US citizen the day he was born....which is true, but Cruz has never offically claimed the prize. This is a problem.
This is shaping up to be another one of those candidates that the Republicans plan to stab themselves in the eyeball with. Of course, it could be a contest to the most extreme caricature for both parties with Cruz for the Republicans and Hillary for the Democrats.
Third party anyone?
Cruz is an opportunist and extremist. He can go back to Canada - some of us Texans have no use for him or his theocratic extremism.
... and all Canadians cheered.
Big deal! You can renounce your citizenship today, than reclaim it again tomorrow. This gesture is totally meaningless.
Thank God! keep that idiot out of Canada!
I am waiting for all of the birthers to come out from under their shells again. Oh wait... ^^^crickets^^^
Dear Mr. Cruz:
We renounce you.
s/ Canada
So – Palin admits crossing the border to use Canadian medical services so she doesn't have to pay.... (although she hates ANY form of government health care).... And now Cruz – another health care hater... was supposedly born in Canada, but is NOT a Canadian, why??? Because his parents also committed an act of fraud??
I know a bunch of people that scooped up foreign citizenship at birth simply because of parental citizenship... But it seems to me that spending his first 4 years in Canada – despite lineage – does NOT make him an American at birth...I am pretty sure the paperwork wasn't done 1 second or prior to exiting his mother....
And it isn't as if they were there on vacation either – they were LIVING there....
Another stupid neocon that is making noise and will end up as a radio talk show host.
The true birther, ehhhh. This guy is done with presidential run. He would have been better off respecting and acknowledging his Canadian by de-facto. Now he can't even cross the border to the north.
Sorry Mr Cruz. You CANT become a US president. You have to be born on US soil. That your mother was an American makes no difference. You were born outside US jurisdiction, thus you do not qualify.
Canada doesn't have the same citizenship laws as the US. Just because he was 'born' in Canada did not make him a citizen. At best, he was a stateless person if no one made any attempt to register him as a citizen of Canada following his birth. You cannot renounce what you never had.
Happy to see ya go Teddy boy! Didn't need ya here, and won't miss ya either.
-Canada
Just say NO to anything for or from Texas.
If Cruz wants to renounce his Canadian citizenship, then he must appear before a Canadian Citizenship Court Judge and explain his reasons. If the Canadian Citizenship Court Judge decides he meets Canadian legal tests for renunication of citizenship, then Cruz would no longer be a Canadian citizen. It will be interesting to see if Cruz can follow the law, the Canadian law.
well I want to see the REEAAALLL Birth Certificte ... not the short certificate, not the Long one ..., I want to see the REAL ONE...I understand he was educated in a Canadian Socialist Madrassa.. what are we gong to do with this sleazy communistic socialist with a FAKE birth certificate!!!
Hey Cruz, don't let the border hit you in the ass on the way out!
Maybe this is just the way the Republican ticket is going now. Look at Marco Rubio who has parents that were born in Cuba. That's the new Republican way, say no to immigration reform while nominating people with immigrant parents for President.
mbane, you're right, I must be remembering civics class incorrectly.
renounce all you want, you are still canadian. you must be american born. duh, what do you think the "birthers" were trying to prove for years?! wait a minute, were you a "birther" mr. cruz??
What difference does it make? Cruz cannot win anyway. He belongs to an established political party. We need a NEW 3rd party with a candidate that is not Dem, Indep, or Rep. Some one that is truly conservative with real American values and who is not "bought" by any special interest group.
Where is Donald Trump when you need him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that if you are a canadian citizen and you
Live in the US you should be given a choice
To switch your citizenship if you! Want to
Live in the US.
OHHH I think I get it now ... as long as the potential presidential candidate is white and a member of YOUR party, then silly little issues like birth certificates and was the candidate born outside of the country just don't matter