If you’ve been doom-scrolling through immigration forums lately, you’ve probably seen the headlines. There’s a lot of chatter—and frankly, a lot of fear—about whether holding two passports is about to become illegal in the United States.
It's messy. Honestly, it’s one of those topics where the technical law and the political rhetoric are currently in a high-speed collision.
So, is Trump ending dual citizenship? The short answer is: not exactly, but there is a massive effort underway to change the rules of the game. We aren't just talking about a single executive order; there's a multi-pronged approach involving new bills in Congress and court battles that could reach the Supreme Court by the summer of 2026.
The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025: A Real Threat?
The biggest "what if" right now isn't an executive order from the Oval Office, but a piece of legislation sitting in the Senate.
In late 2025, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) introduced a bill called the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025. This is the one people are panicking about. The bill basically says: "Pick a side."
If this were to pass, it would require Americans to hold "sole and exclusive allegiance" to the U.S. Basically, it would ban dual citizenship. If you already have two passports, you’d have a one-year window to renounce your foreign one. If you didn't? The bill suggests you'd automatically lose your U.S. citizenship.
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It sounds extreme because it is. For decades, the U.S. has been pretty "don't ask, don't tell" about dual nationality. The Supreme Court even backed this up in cases like Afroyim v. Rusk (1967), ruling that the government can't just strip your citizenship unless you voluntarily give it up.
But here’s the kicker: Moreno and his supporters argue that naturalization is a contract. When you take the oath, you say you "renounce and abjure all allegiance" to any foreign prince or state. They want to start taking those words literally.
Birthright Citizenship and the 2025 Executive Order
While the Moreno bill works through the slow gears of Congress, President Trump took a much faster route on day one of his second term.
On January 20, 2025, he signed Executive Order 14160, titled "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship." This isn't a direct ban on dual citizenship for everyone, but it’s a targeted strike on how citizenship is granted in the first place.
The order attempts to end birthright citizenship for children born on U.S. soil if:
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- The mother is unlawfully present.
- The mother is on a temporary visa (like a tourist, student, or H-1B visa) and the father isn't a U.S. citizen or green card holder.
Basically, the administration is trying to redefine what it means to be "subject to the jurisdiction" of the U.S. under the 14th Amendment.
Where does it stand right now?
It's a legal stalemate. Federal courts in New Hampshire and Washington issued injunctions almost immediately. As of early 2026, the case—Barbara v. Trump—is headed to the Supreme Court. We are likely looking at a definitive ruling by June or July of 2026.
Until then, if a baby is born in a hospital in Des Moines or Dallas, they are still a U.S. citizen, regardless of what the parents' passports say.
The "Shadow" Restrictions on Dual Nationals
Even if the law hasn't officially "ended" dual citizenship, life has gotten a bit more complicated for those holding two passports. It's more of a "death by a thousand cuts" situation than a single ban.
- The 2026 Travel Ban Expansion: As of January 1, 2026, the administration expanded travel restrictions to 39 countries. While U.S. citizens are technically exempt, dual nationals from "high-risk" countries are reporting much higher levels of scrutiny.
- The Visa Pause: The State Department recently paused immigrant visa issuances for nationals of nearly 70 countries to ensure they won't become a "public charge." If you are a dual national from one of these countries but applying with a passport from an "unrestricted" country (like a French-Haitian dual national using their French passport), you're currently exempt, but the red tape is thickening.
- The Registry Idea: There’s been talk within the Department of Homeland Security about creating a federal registry of dual citizens. This isn't law yet, but the proposal suggests that anyone naturalizing in the future would have to disclose all other nationalities, which would then be tracked.
Why Is This Happening Now?
It's a shift in philosophy. For a long time, the U.S. viewed dual citizenship as a pragmatic reality of a globalized world. You have a business in London? Cool. You married someone from Brazil? No problem.
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But the current administration views it as a security risk and a dilution of national identity. They point to the "Oath of Allegiance" as a binding legal document that many people treat as a mere formality.
Critics, of course, say this is a disaster for the "American Dream." They argue that forcing people to choose will drive away high-skilled workers on H-1B visas and cause a massive brain drain. Plus, the administrative nightmare of tracking millions of dual citizens is... well, it's a lot.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you're holding two passports and feeling a bit jittery, you aren't alone. But don't go rushing to a consulate to renounce anything just yet.
- Don't Panic-Renounce: The Exclusive Citizenship Act hasn't passed. It's a bill, not a law. Even if it passes, it will be tied up in courts for years because it challenges over 150 years of legal precedent.
- Stay Tax Compliant: One thing that has stayed the same is that the U.S. taxes its citizens on worldwide income, regardless of where they live or what other passports they have. Staying on the right side of the IRS is your best defense against "bad actor" scrutiny.
- Watch the Supreme Court in mid-2026: The ruling on birthright citizenship will be the ultimate bellwether. If the Court allows Trump to limit birthright citizenship via executive order, it opens the door for broader attacks on dual citizenship later.
- Keep Your Paperwork Clean: If you’re a dual national, ensure your U.S. passport is always valid and that you use it to enter and exit the country. This has always been the law, but enforcement is tightening.
The reality is that Trump is not currently ending dual citizenship for existing adults, but he is fundamentally challenging the legal foundations that make it possible for the next generation. We are in a "wait and see" period, but the "see" part is coming very soon.
You might want to keep a close eye on the Moreno bill's progress in the Senate Judiciary Committee over the next few months—that's where the real movement will happen if the administration decides to make this their primary legislative goal for the 2026 midterms.