By Aidan Bearden / Staff Writer

A bill has been introduced in the Senate that could affect MVC students with dual citizenship, forcing them to choose allegiance with one country. Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025. If this legislation passes, Americans with dual citizenship will have one year to renounce either their U.S. or foreign citizenship. 

Although there is no exact number, according to Newsweek, as many as 5.7 million U.S. citizens hold dual citizenship. Some of these dual citizens are MVC students. Student Cole Carlson is currently in the process of earning dual citizenship. Carlson is from Canada; however, he and his family often visited the United States, as his father was born in Montana. They also own a house in California. Carlson expressed how he would feel if he were no longer able to attain dual citizenship, as well as the benefits he is looking forward to. 

“I’d feel disappointed,” said Carlson. “I hope to get dual citizenship. It would just be easier for travel, going back and forth, and [I could] get a social security number.”

Student El-Roi Hasubu is concerned about this legislation passing not for himself, but for the sake of his parents. While Hasubu was born in the U.S., his parents immigrated from Ethiopia and are now dual citizens of the two countries. However, if this legislation passes, Hasubu is worried about having to separate from his parents. 

“If they had enough money and they were retired by that time, they would probably go back home with family,” said Hasubu. “It’d be pretty hard not seeing them every day.” 

Many dual U.S. citizens have family that lives in their other country of citizenship. Without dual citizenship, visiting family would be more difficult for many U.S. citizens. Student Viktor Rodriguez is one of these citizens who would have difficulty seeing his family if he were forced to renounce his citizenship to Mexico. Rodriguez was born in the U.S. but lived with his grandmother in Mexico when he was young before moving to Texas. Although Viktor’s immediate family lives with him in Texas, a lot of his family still lives in Mexico.

“My mom’s family still lives in Mexico, which getting my dual citizenship removed will cause me not to be able to see my family as often anymore or get to see them at all.” 

Beyond his family, Rodriguez added that his health would also be affected, as it would block the medical services he receives from Mexico. Rodriguez is also worried about how this legislation would affect his work. 

“My life would be affected, because it’ll affect my business and how freely I can move across the border,” Rodriguez said

Rodriguez added that if this legislation passed, he’s worried he wouldn’t be able to afford his college education.

 The bill is currently under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee, a process that can take several months before legislation advances to a full Senate vote.