A fresh policy storm is brewing in Washington as United States Senator Bernie Moreno has tabled a controversial bill seeking to outlaw dual citizenship for American nationals — a move that could have far-reaching implications for millions of people across the globe, including thousands of Nigerians.
The proposed law, tagged the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, was unveiled as debates intensify on Capitol Hill over national identity, immigration, and allegiance. Under current US policy, Americans are permitted to hold more than one nationality without forfeiting their existing citizenship.
Moreno, who himself once held Colombian citizenship before renouncing it, argued that dual nationality erodes national loyalty and creates conflicting obligations. In his words, citizenship must be “an honour and a privilege” that stands on its own.
“If you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing,” he declared in a post on X. “America First and America Only. It’s time to end dual citizenship for good.”
If the bill sails through both chambers of Congress, it would compel Americans with multiple nationalities to relinquish all other citizenships in order to retain their US status. This would directly affect Nigerians who have naturalised in the United States, many of whom maintain ties to their country of birth.
Figures from the US Department of Homeland Security reveal that 38,890 Nigerians became naturalised American citizens between 2021 and 2023. Nigeria remains the only African nation listed among the top 20 countries with the highest number of successful applicants within that period.
High-profile figures would also be affected. US First Lady Melania Trump, who still holds Slovenian citizenship alongside her American nationality, falls within the target group outlined by the proposed legislation.
Nigerian law currently permits citizens by birth to maintain dual or multiple nationalities without restriction. The bill, if passed, would force naturalised Americans of Nigerian origin to make an irreversible choice.
Moreno’s push comes months after President Donald Trump issued an executive order attempting to restrict automatic citizenship for children born on US soil to undocumented parents — an order now stalled by legal challenges citing protections under the 14th Amendment.
