Everybody Must Choose Citizenship by Age of Majority

Everybody born in the United States of parents who are both US citizens should be granted provisional US citizenship. Every person with provisional citizenship living in the US should be required to choose, by the age of majority (usually 18-21 but should be age 20), of which country they would like to become a full citizen. If they decide to become a citizen of the United States, they would need to take certain steps and tests, similar to, but possibly more demanding than those given to foreign applicants today. Such steps and tests would need to have been completed by each person’s 20th birthday. People who fail those tests (they could retake them at any time) or people who have chosen to not become citizens of the United States, would have their status changed from citizen to legal US resident upon their 20th birthday. This status would last for 5 years. By the end of these 5 years, a decision must have been made and final approval must have been received by the country chosen in which to become a citizen. If individuals chose another country as a place of citizenship but are still within the United States after their 25th birthday, then daily $10 fines would begin to be charged. In addition, they would be categorized as foreign immigrant workers and the relevant regulations regarding foreign worker taxes (namely, higher income taxes) would begin to be applied at this same time. If the individual plans to remain in the United States for any length of time after the first 5 year period, they would need to have applied for another 5 year extension of their legal residency status.

Every person choosing to become a citizen, whether they are native-born or immigrants of child-bearing age (immigrants younger than 20 years old would be exempt), should be able to hold a simple, functional, 5-minute conversation in English. People past reproductive age and those promising not to reproduce would be exempt.

All US military soldiers and personnel should be US citizens with a minimum age of 20 years old. In fact, military workers in each country should be citizens only of the countries they serve.

Dual nationality or dual citizenship should be prohibited. Any person claiming citizenship in the US and in any other country (or countries), should be considered by the US government as only a citizen of that other country (or countries) and the relevant foreign worker fee structures would apply. People should pledge their allegiance only to one country.

Furthermore, no person holding dual citizenship should be allowed to hold any elected or appointed executive, legislative, or judicial position in government. People in such positions should devote their total allegiance to and place their total dependence on the country in which they serve.

Any person born in the US or on any US territory or vessel from one or both parents who are not US citizens, but legally residing in the country, would not automatically obtain US citizenship, but rather would be granted legal resident status and treated as citizens of the country of which their parents are citizens, with the mother’s citizenship being dominant (if such countries allow the conferring of citizenship under such circumstances). The child’s legal residency status would be valid for as long as both parent’s legal residency status is valid, or as long as one of the parent’s (the one who remains in the country with the child) legal residency status is valid.

If one or both of the parents are illegally residing in the country, then the birthed child will also be considered an illegal immigrant, not granted citizenship, and would be subject to the same deportation laws. The parents would also be responsible for paying the daily immigration fines imposed upon the child.