Image Credit: Senator Brent Taylor / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) has introduced a piece of legislation that would bar anyone who holds dual citizenship or is not a natural-born citizen of the United States from qualifying as a candidate for federal office.
SB1825 is a simple one-page bill which would keep foreign actors from holding critical federal offices. The bill simply states, “A person shall not qualify as a candidate in a primary election for federal office who 1) Holds dual citizenship; or 2) Is not a natural-born citizen of the United States.”
As defined by the legislation, “dual citizenship” means “a legal status where a person is simultaneously recognized as a citizen of the United States and of another country”.
And “natural born” is defined as “an individual who is a United States citizen at birth by being born in the United States or born abroad to parents who are United States citizens.”
Some conservatives may take issue with the bill’s definition of “natural born” as under such meaning any child born in the United States to illegal alien parents is recognized as a citizen under the current interpretation of constitutional birthright citizenship and could therefore still hold federal office under this proposed bill.
The Trump administration is leading the challenge to such an interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, including the issuance of Executive Order “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship” which states that the U.S. government will not recognize or extend citizenship to persons whose mother was unlawfully present in the country and the father was not a U.S. citizen, or lawful permanent resident, or whose mother’s presence in the U.S. was lawful, but temporary and the person’s father was not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of the person’s birth.
Unsurprisingly, the order has been prevented from taking effect through legal machinations by liberal and advocacy organizations, with the Supreme Court hearing initial oral arguments on the case back in May of 2025 and expected to rule on some aspects of the case by June or early July of this year.
Should the Executive Order be allowed to stand, Taylor’s proposed bill would likely encompass the definition of “natural citizen” under the Trump administration’s policy, thereby excluding so-called anchor babies from being allowed to hold federal office in Tennessee.
SB1825 does not yet have any committee assignments.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
