Posted on 01/21/2016 7:54:23 AM PST by Walt Griffith
The above section explains why Ted Curz received Canadian Citizenship at birth as well as US when he was born.
There’s little doubt that Cruz was a U.S. citizen at birth (though we haven’t yet seen any documentation to that effect). But there is no particular reason to think that citizen at birth equals natural born citizen and there are a lot of good reasons to think that dual citizen at birth does not equal natural born citizen.
My question is Can someone born on foreign soil become President. I was always taught one had to be born on American soil.
Even the Bible tells us to try the spirits and it appears we have a lot of bad actors today.
Nobody knows for sure. McCain was born in what is now Panama. He might’ve been born on “US Territory” in the sense that we had control over the Canal Zone at the time, or it might’ve been just across the border in a hospital in Panama, nobody seems to know for sure. But he’s the first real nominee not to have been born on “U.S. territory” (Goldwater was born in AZ before it was a state).
Having studied all of this for a number of years, I think an honest reading of the provision would say that for that one particular office, the Presidency, the Founders intended to exclude anyone with even the smallest shred of potential for divided loyalties, and as such only someone born “on the land” to two citizen parents would qualify, with exception for military and diplomats overseas. Anyone else has at least some sort of claim to citizenship somewhere else, and as such could have divided loyalties.
My neighbors had a son born while they were deployed in Turkey. The boy had dual US and Turkish citizenship until he was 18. He had to appear in Turkey at age 18 to renounce his citizenship there, or be subject to Turkish military service. They told me years ago that they were told by US officials that he would not be eligible to serve as President of the U.S. That was then.
In 2008 it took an act of Congress to reinforce John McCain’s claim of NBC status, aided by ‘rats, and helpfully taking the spotlight off 0’s citizenship claims.
The US claim and Cuba claim are indistinguishable at birth.
The constitution is harsh this way, it looks at us as purple newborns, and we're stuck with that label forever. There is no way to know where that person's loyalties end up. Follow mom? Follow dad? Renounce and choose another country?
It's an imperfect system, but there is none devised, that is better.
Was his mother a Canadian citizen at the time he was born? If not, why was she a registered voter?
His dad had to begin Canadian citizenship application at some point. So he could have renounced Cuban citizenship prior to Ted’s birth. I’ve never seen the dates.
I think the correct formulation of this is:
1) Forget Ted Cruz. The question is not about HIM.
2) Theoretical future candidate. Say it’s a leftist. Alien father, born abroad. What’s your position?
3) Now, apply that position to Ted Cruz.
You aren't the first person I've seen say that, and it's so strange. I know the 1940's Naturalization act exempted military members and diplomats, signifying they were natural born. That's why McCain was eligible.
It seems it wasn't until the 60's or 70's this *local* citizenship of foreign countries started showing up on birth certificates of military members.
This is, of course, assuming your neighbors were actually deployed in the military and not just working for the military as a contractor of some kind.
I agree born on foreign soil one can be a citizen. But a natural born is the question.
Ted's citizenships are first assigned at birth, and that is the moment the constitution examines. There are various legal mechanisms to alter his citizenships as he ages.
Interestingly, that dad was pursuing and obtained Canadian citizenship strengthens Canada's claim on Ted at birth and as he ages. Residence and domicile (the place you call home and always return to) are fundamental to citizenship inquiry.
From reading the law in other threads on Cruz, I have to believe the mom was not a US citizen.
I am still trying to get my arms around this. Were either of Cruz’s parents born in America and American citizens at the time of his birth?
If the answer is yes, why is it a big deal? Funny thing is, I would think one of the best constitutional legal minds in this country knows whether he is an American citizen or not and eligible to run for an hold the office of POTUS.
Your formulation is much more persuasive than mine.
Do you have dates and links on these things?
I was born a Canadian citizen. Before 1947, Canadians were simply British Subjects.
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