Dual citizenship wouldn't preclude you from being US Pres if you are a native born US citizen, of course, but if you acquired it through your parents and were born elsewhere I think it might be a problem. It may depend on where you were born (on US territory abroad or not). Can someone born in Puerto Rico be Pres? What about someone born in American Samoa or Guam?
But see http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/judiciary/hju67306.000/hju67306_0.HTM " Over 30 years ago a legal scholar, Charles Gordon, addressed the question of whether people born overseas to United States citizens could be called ''natural born'' citizens and hence be eligible to be President. After reviewing the legal history of the clause and subsequent legislation, Gordon answers this question in the affirmative. However, he also points out that the Supreme Court has never ruled on the issue and that ''that the picture is clouded by elements of doubt.'' This analysis leads him to the following conclusion: "It is unfortunate that doubts remain on an issue of such vital importance to many Americans. We live in a fluid and ever diminishing world. The interests of our nation and its people are constantly expanding and millions of Americans reside for short or long periods in foreign countries. They are there in pursuit of inspiration, enlightenment, profit, pleasure, repose or escape. All of these have a right to retain their status as American citizens while they live abroad. One can perceive no sound reason for shutting off aspiration to the Presidency for the children born to them while they are temporarily sojourning in foreign countries." And remember the controversy when George Romney ran for PResident--he had been born in New Mexico or Arizona or somewhere, before it became a state, and the question was, was he a native born US citizen for purposes of qualifying for the Presidency? There also might be some ugly comments about someone's true loyalty if s/he became President and had dual citizenship. I know I've heard them just as a plain old non-Presidential-worthy US citizen with dual citizenship. My parents, who were naturalized, and very proud of that, heard such comments for years. Christine Corcos Associate Professor of Law Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University Associate Professor, Women's and Gender Studies Program LSU A&M W325 Law Building 1 East Campus Drive Baton Rouge LA 70803 tel: 225/578-8327 fax: 225/578-3677 home page: faculty.law.lsu.edu/ccorcos email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] msellers <[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ALT.EDU> cc: (bcc: Christine A Corcos/ccorcos/LSU) Sent by: Discussion Subject: Utah senator wants amendment to let foreign-born be president list for con law professors <[EMAIL PROTECTED] v.ucla.edu> 10/10/2003 01:40 PM Please respond to Discussion list for con law professors Many Americans are now dual citizens with other countries. What relevance does this have to our discussion? >===== Original Message From Discussion list for con law professors <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ===== >A few weeks ago, my eight-year-old daughter Katie invited one of her closest >friends to stay overnight, you know, a typical second-grade sleep-over. As >we were talking before bed, my daughter and I were bantering about how I've >often said that I expect her to grow up and become President, perhaps the >first woman President (if, as I think doubtful, that day still has yet to >arrive in another 30 years). Her friend immediately interjected that Katie >simply couldn't be the first woman President because she (the friend) >intended to be the first woman President. And then they playfully argued >about which was entitled to that honor. Because it would have been cruel to >intercede as these two children argued about priority for the Presidency, I >didn't explain that, in fact, her friend could *not* become President >because the friend was born in Colombia to Colombian parents, and she thus >was precluded under the Constitution from serving in the office (even though >she has lived in the United States since infancy). > > > >But the episode did serve to pointedly remind me that this constitutional >prohibition does have the effect of labeling an entire segment of loyal >citizens as unfit to serve in the nation's highest office and that it does >have a negative symbolic effect. Had I told Katie's friend that she, as an >immigrant, could never be President, I have no doubt that it would have hurt >her feelings and made her feel like, yes, a second-class citizen. While I >don't suggest that adult naturalized citizens would react the same as an >eight-year-old, I would imagine that those negative feelings are felt by >many and quite rightly. Moreover, the restriction reduces the pool of >talent for the highest office (and by this I don't mean to invite discussion >of whether Arnold Schwarzenegger or any other particular person is one of >those missed talents). > > > >To be sure, the national community has good reason to expect that those >seeking election to the highest office have become a full member of the >community, in terms of citizenship, substantial involvement in the public >life of their country of birth or adoption, and understanding of the >expectations and culture of democratic governance in the uniquely American >style. Thus, a requirement that a naturalized citizen desiring to seek the >Presidency have been a citizen for a certain period of time, 15 or 25 years >(reasonable people obviously can disagree on the appropriate time period), >is not only reasonable but eminently well-justified. But an outright >prohibition on immigrants seeking the Presidency is a crude means of >achieving the end of ensuring the person has become fully engaged in >American public life and community. And, of course, there remains the >ultimate check of democratic election, as the public is unlikely to elect >someone who has not become a fully engaged member of the polity or remains >alienated from the American democratic process. > > > >Gregory Sisk > >Professor of Law > >University of St. Thomas School of Law (Minneapolis) > >MSL 400, 1000 LaSalle Avenue > >Minneapolis, MN 55403-2005 > >651-962-4923 > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >http://personal2.stthomas.edu/GCSISK/sisk.html ><http://personal2.stthomas.edu/GCSISK/sisk.html>
