Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi criticized a proposed constitutional amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace that would forbid naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, on the federal bench and in Senate-confirmed government positions.
Krishnamoorthi, who immigrated to the United States from India as an infant, responded to the proposal in a post on X, saying his parents came to America seeking a better life. He called the amendment “morally wrong” and urged the opposition to reject what he described as “bigotry and hate.”
Mace announced the proposal this week, arguing that individuals serving in influential federal roles should be natural-born U.S. citizens. Her proposed amendment would expand constitutional eligibility requirements beyond the presidency and vice presidency, the only federal offices who currently require natural-born citizenship under the Constitution.
READ: Nancy Mace targets foreign-born Congress member (May 20, 2026)
She publicly referenced lawmakers including Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar while defending the proposal. All three are naturalized U.S. citizens born outside the country, naturally, Krishnamoorthi, who was born in India, would also fall under the proposed restrictions.
Under current constitutional rules, members of Congress must meet age, residency and citizenship-duration requirements. Constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of U.S. states.
The proposal gained criticism from Democrats and immigrant advocacy groups, who argued that it unfairly targets naturalized Americans and undermines the role immigrants have played in public service and government all this time. Jayapal also referred to the proposal as “hateful” in a public statement released on Tuesday.
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Mace’s proposal follows similar arguments made by some conservative lawmakers in recent years questioning whether foreign-born elected officials should hold high-ranking federal positions. But this step, however, would require significant bipartisan support in Congress and approval from 38 states before becoming part of the Constitution.
The debate since then has intensified broader political arguments surrounding immigration and citizenship ahead of the 2026 election cycle, as Republican lawmakers continue to push stricter immigration-focused policies. Critics of the proposal say it risks creating a distinction between natural-born and naturalized Americans in federal public service, despite both holding equal citizenship status under federal law.