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.
It makes no difference – he's not going to make it even to a primary.
I do find this insulting as a Canadian. Why would having dual citizenship with one of your longest and strongest allies be considered a negative? Are people afraid that's he's secretly allied to Canada? What a joke.
I will wait for the tea party to come out against Cruz for his Canadian citizenship just like they came out against Obama because he was born in Hawaii. I also need to see Cruz's long form birth certificate, his college transcripts and grades. Don't worry Cruz, there is plenty of room in the Republican clown car.
To those not from Texas, Ted Cruz is a laughing stock to most of our state. We call him "The Gerbil" because he loves to spin his wheels. He is the ultimate suit in search of a man. I know we are desperate for a national contender with gravitas but Ted aint it.
Ted Cruz renounced his better half.
Nope, he was not a citizen at birth, Until his mother filed a N600 US Immigration forms and is accepted by immigration officials, then he receives a Certificate of Citizenship. Therefore is not a natural born citizen. HE would not be allowed to enter the US as a baby, because he was born in another country. He needs to prove that he has a Certificate of Citizenship. I seen in the news where Americans have taken vacation in another country and the female is pregnant and suddenly goes into labor during the vacation and has the baby. The baby is not allowed to enter the US, because he is not a US citizen. Also, he is not a Natural Born Texas, therefore he should not be called a Texan. He was born in Canada.
I can't wait to hear from the birthers on this one and how it's different from Obama's situation.
Is this guy the best the republican party had?...if so, they are in BIG TROUBLE.
The Teabaggers are again shown to be racist hypocrites.
As a Texan who,voted against Mr. Cruz 3 times in his senate race I look forward to his right wingnut run for president. Hopefully he will renounce his senate seat and I can vote against him once or twice more.
Ted, you were not born in the US. You are not eligible to run for president. Renouncing your Canadian citizenship will not make you eligible.
I wish this lieing thief would renounce his u.s. citizenship.
I'm waiting for the outraged Republicans screaming that Ted Cruz can't run for President because he wasn't born in the US. After all, that was their war cry against Obama for so long, who also, incontrovertibly, was born to an American mother. So, Republicans... either you believe in that position and you'll cut Ted Cruz's campaigning off at the knees, or you don't believe it and thereby admit that you'll say and do anything, regardless of truth or fact to win political advantage.
what a loss , the guy is a moron
How much can you trust someone who would tell so easily throw part of their history away so easily. Seriously I'd trust a druggy in a pharmacy alone more so then him.
Now, let's get this clod to renounce his US citizenship and we will have accomplished something!
This guy when to Harvard Law School and never figured out he was a Canadian Citizen by virtue of the laws of the country he was born in. Does he not realize it takes more than a press conference to renounce his Canadian Citizenship? Since his father is Cuban, he might want to check their laws too. He could be a citizen of one of the few Communist countries remaining and the GOP candidate for President. Jon Stewart is so missing his chance.
Papers, please.
If the birthers are so against Obama because they think he's foreign born, then they should be 100% against the confirmed foreign-born Cruz. Of course, because the birthers just use the ridiculous birth certificate lie as a a cover for their racism, they'll embrace this guy entirely, all the while claiming not to be racist at all. A perfect cover.
Go back to Canada? (:
No need to "renounce" your Canandian citizenship – unless you want to cow-tow to Donald Trump and all the Tea-partiers. Dual citizenship with Canada and the U.S. is a good thing, something to be proud of... but, where do you stand on the Cuban citizenship issue?
If he becomes the President, then I am going for my Canadian citizenship.
sorry to late ,the damage is done .
That's fine. We don't want you either.
lol. If republicans are backing cruz, who demonstrably was born in a foreign country, they can shut up about obama's birthplace forever.