Would someone explain clearly about Cruz’ eligibility to run for president? I’m sure it’s been explained on this board before so I apologize if it has, but I want to be clear about it. I have Democrat friends literally frothing at the mouth because they fear Cruz out of all the Republicans running for president but are excited over the fact he was born in Canada, and are saying he can’t run.
Someone else might have more detail on this, but back in Civics 101 this is what I learned: You can be born a citizen of the U.S. one of two ways. You can be born as a son or daughter of a U.S. citizen, and then it doesn’t matter where you’re born, as your citizenship is conferred from your parent. (I’ve read some remarks on this, that the parent has to be of a certain age to confer that citizenship, but this would not apply to Cruz since his mom, the U.S. citizen in this case, was of age.) The other way to be born an American citizen is to be born on American soil. (That’s where the millions of “anchor babies” born to illegal immigrants come from.)
Cruz was born to an American mother, on Canadian soil, which gave him dual American & Canadian citizenship. He recently renounced the Canadian citizenship, making him solely a U.S. citizen.
Many people point out the clause about a President needing to be a “natural born” citizen of the U.S., but there’s much, MUCH discussion about that (feel free to google it!). My own opinion, unpopular as it will no doubt be with some, is that Obama’s election and re-election has let that horse out of the barn forever. If it was good enough for Emperor Obama, I say it’s good enough for any candidate we might put up.