Ilhan Omar files for reelection as Nancy Mace pushes natural-born citizen proposal

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Ilhan Omar is officially seeking another term in Congress, filing paperwork for reelection as a separate debate over who should be allowed to serve in federal office gains traction on Capitol Hill.

The Minnesota Democrat's reelection move comes as Rep. Nancy Mace continues promoting a constitutional amendment that would require members of Congress, federal judges, and Senate-confirmed appointees to be natural-born US citizens.

Ilhan Omar launches reelection bid amid growing eligibility debate

Omar's filing signals her intention to seek another term representing Minnesota in Congress.

Her reelection campaign arrives as Mace continues making the case that eligibility requirements currently applied to the presidency should be expanded to cover other powerful federal positions. 

Under Mace's proposal, members of Congress, federal judges, and Senate-confirmed officials would all be required to be natural-born citizens.

The amendment faces a difficult path forward, but it has generated attention because of the questions it raises about citizenship and public service.

Those questions have only intensified as Omar prepares for another campaign and as Mace increasingly references the Minnesota Democrat while discussing her proposal.

Nancy Mace says proposal should apply to lawmakers already serving

Mace escalated her criticism of foreign-born elected officials during a recent Fox News interview, where she was asked whether her proposal should apply retroactively to lawmakers already serving in office.

Her response quickly shifted attention toward Omar.

"Well, I've tried to throw Ilhan Omar out of Congress and have been blocked every time," Mace said.

The South Carolina congresswoman also claimed she previously attempted to obtain records connected to Omar's immigration history.

"In fact, I tried to subpoena her and her alleged brother husband's immigration records and was stopped from doing that, too," Mace stated.

Mace did not provide evidence during the interview to support the allegation. The claim references a long-circulating and unproven conspiracy theory involving Omar's marriage history.

Despite acknowledging the legal challenges involved, Mace said she would support applying the restrictions to current lawmakers if possible.

"I would be fine if we made it retroactive," she said.

"But at least going forward, if this thing can happen, then for the next election cycle or reelection cycle, it would apply to those individuals who should not be serving in Congress."

Nancy Mace argues foreign-born officials may have competing allegiances

Mace framed her proposal as a matter of national loyalty and argued that people born outside the United States could have competing allegiances.

"We don't have to look any further than Ilhan Omar or Shri," Mace said, referring to Rep. Shri Thanedar.

"These are people who've pledged allegiance to foreign countries," she continued. "They are influenced, I believe, by their foreign allegiance to other countries."

Mace argued that the constitutional requirement requiring presidents to be natural-born citizens should be expanded to include Congress and the federal judiciary.

"And we want to make sure that America is run by American patriots," she said.

"If the president has to be natural born, so too should members of Congress. So too should our judges."

The Republican lawmaker also said she believes similar restrictions should extend beyond federal offices and into state governments.

"Every single state across the country should ban foreigners or foreign-born individuals from being governor, from being lieutenant governor, from serving in state legislatures," Mace declared.