Dual Citizenship in the USA Could Be a Problem
According to JSTOR, for much of U.S. history, dual nationality was viewed as undesirable. 19th-century officials and courts often likened it to “bigamy” and argued it reflected divided loyalty. For decades, U.S. policy required renouncing prior citizenship to naturalize, and it rarely recognized dual citizenship.
With massive, unassimilated migration into the USA, many now view dual citizenship as the American Dream.
Bill O’Reilly outlined the history of dual citizenship on WABC Radio:
In the 18th century, loyalty to a single nation became paramount. Early Americans were largely suspicious of foreign influence, particularly from England and France. In 1868, the United States Expatriation Act allowed foreigners to renounce their citizenship and formally become Americans.
The law was expanded in 1907, allowing more people to legally migrate to the USA. However, dual citizenship has long been controversial.
As of this year, the federal government officially states that it does not formally recognize dual citizenship, but permits it under specific circumstances. Exceptions apply to foreign business dealings, overseas property ownership, family ties, and diplomats.
Today, more than 9 million Americans hold foreign passports along with American documents. The largest community comes from Mexico, followed by China, India, Canada, the Philippines, Ireland, the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Poland.
And here’s something else you might not know, says O’Reilly:
Foreigners moving to the USA is a growing trend, as everybody knows. That’s what the illegal border crossings were all about. But there’s a growing trend of Americans heading abroad. Two million U.S. citizens, excluding service members, now live permanently outside the USA; the largest expat communities are in Costa Rica, Panama, Spain, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Australia, and Japan.
To boost their local economies, many nations now offer citizenship to wealthy Americans. You can become Portuguese for $200,000.
To move to Greece, buy a home worth 40,000 euros. That’s about 50,000 dollars.
Uruguay is the easiest. Give them money, and you’ll get a passport.
