There is only one truly permanent way to settle a major political fight in the United States: amend the Constitution.
Once an amendment is ratified, it becomes part of the supreme law of the land — beyond the reach of Congress, presidents, governors, or the courts acting on their own. Courts can interpret amendments, but they cannot simply erase them because judges disagree politically with the outcome.
History proves it. The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution imposed Prohibition nationwide, and it remained a binding law until the Twenty-first Amendment formally repealed it. The system required another constitutional amendment to undo the first one.
That is why constitutional amendments carry such enormous weight: they override ordinary statutes, executive actions, and judicial theories.
If the Constitution were amended to require that members of Congress or senior executive officials be natural-born citizens — similar to the existing presidential eligibility requirement in Article II — that standard would become constitutionally binding nationwide unless another amendment later repealed or altered it.
Enter Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who is currently running for governor of South Carolina:
ICYMI: We introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment REQUIRING Representatives, Senators, federal judges at every level, and all Senate-confirmed officers to be natural born citizens.
This is not complicated. If you hold power in the American government,… pic.twitter.com/Zz2KBlkNop
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) May 21, 2026
She wrote on X:
We introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment REQUIRING Representatives, Senators, federal judges at every level, and all Senate-confirmed officers to be natural born citizens.
This is not complicated. If you hold power in the American government, you should be a natural born American citizen.
Several foreign born lawmakers currently holding power in this government have made clear their loyalties do not lie with the American people. Ilhan Omar is a prime example of why this amendment is necessary.
The American people deserve leaders who put America first. This amendment makes sure of it.
In an interview with Fox News, Mace called out Omar again:
“If you hold power in the American government, you should be a natural-born American citizen,” Mace told Fox News Digital in a statement. “For too long we have allowed foreign-born members to hold seats in this government, while making clear their loyalty is not here. We see it every day.”
Mace specifically called out progressive Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who was born in Somalia and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.
“Ilhan Omar is just one of many foreign-born members of this government who have made clear, time and again, their loyalty is not here,” Mace said. “The American people deserve leaders who put America first. This amendment closes a gap in our Constitution long overdue for closing.”
Okay, first and foremost, this amendment isn’t likely to go anywhere. Every Democrat would be against it, and frankly, too many Republicans are spineless and too worried about what CNN will say about them.
But that doesn’t mean that Mace’s amendment is a bad idea. Clearly, our founders were worried about foreign influence over our government. That’s why they made it a requirement for our presidents and vice presidents to be native-born.
They likely didn’t think we would allow ourselves to be inundated with a slew of congressional members who clearly put their home countries first.
So while this amendment won’t go anywhere now, that doesn’t mean it’ll never happen. Good on Mace for introducing it and getting the conversation started.
