Change your definition of naturalize. I'll try to help. To naturalize it to take a non-citizen and turn him into a citizen by any means at all. This is done by Act of Congress.
Cruz was naturalized automatically. Congress has passed some laws that say "if you are born 'this way', you are a citizen-at-birth. Period." Everybody born in the Virgin Islands, to legal residents of the Virgin Islands, is a US citizen at birth by operation of an act of Congress. This rule does not require the parents to be citizens of the US. If two foreigners are living in the Virgin Islands, and they have a baby, the baby is a citizen of the US at birth. Automatic.
Congress can naturalize anybody or any group it wants to, on any or no conditions. It's power is plenary, unlimited. Well, it can give, but it can't take away.
Congress can also require a person to "check in," or be admitted as part of a quota, or take a test (or not), an oath (or not), renounce citizenship elsewhere (or not). Again, Congress can make whatever rules here that it wants to.
The popular view of "naturalized" follows this set of laws, the ones that have making an application, getting approved, waiting, taking a test, renouncing past allegiance, and taking an oath. But Congress could do away with all that pomp and circumstance and still confer citizenship. It isn't the pomp and circumstance that confers citizenship, it is the act of congress that does.
The only way Cruz is a citizen is by act of Congress. Take the act away, he's Canadian through and through.
Spread it around. I'm geting weary, and will soon go mute on the subject.
I too am weary of the subject
Thanks for the good insights