Proposed Legislation Adds New Roadblocks to US Citizenship

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House Republicans introduce the No Citizenship for Alien Invaders Act to permanently block illegal immigrants from attaining US citizenship, setting the stage for a major immigration policy battle.

Quick Takes

The bill, proposed by Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make those who entered illegally permanently ineligible for naturalization.
Co-sponsored by Reps. Josh Brecheen, Anna Paulina Luna, and Andy Harris, the legislation aims to reach President Trump’s desk by Memorial Day.
A companion bill, the PARENT Act, targets birthright citizenship by requiring at least one parent to be a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
Border crossings have reportedly decreased by 98% under the Trump administration, with previous fiscal years seeing up to 2.9 million illegal immigrant encounters.

Conservative Representatives Launch Citizenship Restriction Bill

A group of House Republicans led by Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) has introduced the No Citizenship for Alien Invaders Act, legislation designed to permanently bar illegal immigrants from becoming American citizens. The bill seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 to explicitly make anyone who entered the United States illegally ineligible for naturalization, regardless of how long they have resided in the country. This represents a significant policy shift that would remove one of the primary incentives for illegal immigration – the potential path to citizenship after establishing residency.

The bill has garnered support from several Republican co-sponsors, including Representatives Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Andy Harris (R-MD). The proposed legislation aligns with President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda and is part of a broader Republican effort to enhance border security measures. GOP lawmakers are reportedly working to get the legislation to the president’s desk by Memorial Day, although it faces significant hurdles in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to overcome a potential Democratic filibuster.

Rep. Cory Mills has introduced the “No Citizenship for Alien Invaders Act,” a bill that would permanently bar all illegal aliens from ever receiving US citizenship.

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Targeting Birthright Citizenship and “Birth Tourism”

Concurrent with the No Citizenship for Alien Invaders Act, Mills has also introduced the PARENT Act, which addresses birthright citizenship. This complementary legislation would require at least one parent to be a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident for a child born on American soil to receive automatic citizenship. The measure aims to curtail what critics call “birth tourism,” where pregnant foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth, securing American citizenship for their children.

Representative Brian Babin (R-TX) has separately introduced legislation targeting birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens. These efforts follow President Trump’s previous executive order to end birthright citizenship, which continues to face legal challenges.

Border Crisis Response and Enforcement Focus

The legislation comes in response to what Republicans characterize as a border crisis that escalated during the Biden administration. According to Representative Mills, there were more than 10 million encounters at US borders during the Biden years, with US Customs and Border Patrol reporting 2.9 million encounters with illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2024 alone. The bill’s sponsors argue that the prior administration’s “catch-and-release” policies allowed individuals who broke immigration laws to remain in the country.

Proponents note that illegal border crossings have significantly decreased under the new Trump administration, with a reported 98% reduction. The legislation is part of a series of smaller measures aimed at enhancing border security and immigration law enforcement. Last year, approximately 818,500 people legally became US citizens through the established naturalization process, which would remain available only to those who entered the country through lawful means if this legislation passes.