Rep. Ilhan Omar dismissed a Republican push led by Rep. Nancy Mace to amend the Constitution to bar foreign-born individuals from serving in federal office, responding, "Good luck to her." Mace named Omar, Shri Thanedar and Pramila Jayapal as examples the measure would target. The proposed amendment would impose a natural-born citizen requirement on members of Congress, federal judges and Senate-confirmed officers, but faces steep procedural hurdles — two-thirds congressional approval and ratification by three-fourths of states. A separate bill would force lawmakers with dual citizenship to renounce foreign nationality to serve, but it has seen little movement.
Ilhan Omar Shrugs Off GOP Push To Bar Foreign-Born Lawmakers: "Good Luck To Her"
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., spoke to reporters following a briefing by Trump administration officials on U.S. strikes on Iran at the U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Getty Images)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) appeared unfazed when asked about a newly announced Republican proposal that would bar foreign-born individuals from holding federal office.
Asked for her reaction, Omar told Fox News Digital,
"Good luck to her."
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., dismissed a proposed constitutional amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., that would bar foreign-born individuals from serving in Congress.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) introduced a joint resolution this week calling for a constitutional amendment that would require members of Congress, federal judges and Senate-confirmed officers to be natural-born U.S. citizens — the same standard currently required for the president and vice president. In posting the announcement on X, Mace specifically named three members of Congress she said the proposal targeted: Ilhan Omar, Shri Thanedar and Pramila Jayapal.
Omar, who was born in Somalia and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000, told Fox News Digital she does not expect the proposal to gain the traction necessary to change the Constitution.
Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican from Florida, stands outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2025.
Political and Practical Hurdles
Altering the Constitution is a high bar: an amendment requires two-thirds approval in both the House and the Senate and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures. The proposal has not drawn widespread backing from House GOP leadership or a significant group of Republican co-sponsors.
Related Proposal: Dual Citizenship Ban
Separately, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) introduced the "Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act" in October, which would bar anyone with dual citizenship from serving in Congress unless they renounced their foreign citizenship. When asked about Fine’s bill, Omar responded, "Who’s that?"
Fine has said the measure would ensure lawmakers "are themselves fully committed to our country, not divided between two." That bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee but has shown little movement.
Current Context
There are currently 26 members of Congress who were not citizens at birth: 19 Democrats and seven Republicans. The debate raises questions about citizenship, loyalty and the constitutional limits on eligibility for federal office — issues that would require broad bipartisan consensus to alter.
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