The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. is closely monitoring the introduction of a legislative proposal in the United States Senate, known as the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025,” which seeks to eliminate dual citizenship for U.S. citizens.
The Embassy understands the significant interest and concern this proposed measure, introduced by Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio, has generated within the Filipino-American community and other major immigrant groups. The bill, if enacted, would represent a major shift in U.S. immigration and nationality policy.
The Embassy strongly advises the Filipino-American community to monitor the legislative process closely and exercise extreme caution regarding any immediate actions concerning their citizenship status.
Proposed, Not Enacted: The “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025” is currently a legislative proposal that must pass through several stages of deliberation, debate, and voting in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives before it can become law. This is a potentially lengthy and uncertain process.
Legal Precedent: Previous challenges to dual and multiple citizenship have not materialized. The legal standing of dual citizenship has a long history in the U.S. As early as 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized by law,” stating that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both” (Kawakita v. US, 343 US 717). Any new law is expected to face significant legal challenges.
Irreversible Action: Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States wish to emphasize that the Renunciation of Philippine citizenship is an irreversible legal action under current law. Filipino-Americans are strongly advised against making hasty decisions based on a non-enacted legislative proposal.
The Embassy and its Consulates General are actively following the bill’s progress and will provide timely updates on any major developments.
The proposed “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025” aims to mandate that U.S. citizens hold “sole and exclusive allegiance” to the United States. Key provisions reportedly include:
Requiring existing dual citizens to formally renounce their foreign citizenship or their U.S. citizenship within one year of the bill’s potential enactment.
Stating that failure to comply within the one-year deadline would result in the automatic loss of U.S. citizenship, classifying the individual as a non-citizen under U.S. immigration law.
Tasking the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security with establishing a system to track and enforce these new rules.
The Philippine Foreign Service Posts reiterate their commitment to serving and protecting the welfare of all Filipino nationals and Filipino-Americans.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington urged the community to remain calm, avoid misinformation, and rely only on official statements from the Philippine government and reliable U.S. government sources.
