Mace introduces constitutional amendment to bar naturalized citizens from Congress: 'Not Somalia. Not any other country.'

On May 20, 2026, Mace introduced a joint resolution to amend the Constitution to bar naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, on the federal bench, or in Senate-confirmed positions:

"Ilhan Omar. Shri Thanedar. Pramila Jayapal. All born in foreign countries, none were citizens by birth. All sitting in the United States Congress. All making clear every single day their loyalty is not to America. … If you hold power in the American government, you should be a natural-born American citizen. The people writing America's laws, confirming America's judges, and representing America on the world stage should have one loyalty: America. Not Somalia. Not any other country."

Critics noted the amendment would also bar several Republican members of Congress and any naturalized Cabinet nominee. Omar dismissed it.

On June 25, 2026, after Mace's fifth-place finish in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary, The Palmetto Voice connected this amendment to Mace's criticism of Rom Reddy and to a new attack on a federal judge born in Trinidad. The outlet's framing is commentary; the connection is useful because the amendment expressly covered the federal bench as well as Congress.

Source: mace.house.gov / The Hill · archived

Related coverage: The Palmetto Voice, June 25, 2026