Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a naturalized citizen who immigrated to the United States as an infant, released a statement May 20, 2026, in response to Representative Nancy Mace’s proposed constitutional amendment to bar naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, the federal judiciary, and Senate-confirmed government positions.
“My parents brought me to this country as an infant because they believed in the American dream of a better life and in a uniquely American promise: that in this country, what matters is not where you came from, the color of your skin, whom you love, or how you worship, but your character, your hard work, and your commitment to American values.”
He condemned Representative Mace’s proposal as “a betrayal of that promise and of a principle that has helped define the American story since our founding.”
“As President Reagan often said, ‘anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American’,” Rep. Krishnamoorthi quoted.
“From Alexander Hamilton helping shape our republic to generations of naturalized citizens who strengthened our communities, widened the horizons of what America could become, and answered the call to public service, America has always drawn strength from people who chose this country as their own. In this country, patriotism is measured not by birthplace, but by service,” the Indian American Congressman noted.
“Generation after generation, naturalized citizens have renewed our nation — and countless have worn the uniform of the United States and, too often, given the last full measure of devotion for the country they chose to make their own. The responsibility of American citizenship is not simply to enjoy the blessings of freedom, but to carry forward the values of this country and leave it better for the next generation,” Krishnamoorthi emphasized.
“To suggest that Americans who are willing to serve this country, fight for it, and even give their lives for it are somehow not American enough to serve in public office is an affront to one of the most enduring principles of the American story. Long after our nation forgets the electoral ambitions of those who sought power by demonizing naturalized citizens, those very Americans will continue to contribute, to sacrifice, and to carry forth the promise of America,” he added.
On the same day, Krishnamoorthi, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, raised alarm over rising Islamophobia and antisemitism during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing marking 25 years since 9/11, days after the killing of three people at a San Diego mosque.
“More than twenty years after 9/11 happened, Islamophobia in the U.S. has not gone away,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Just this weekend, we saw the horrific killing of three people at a San Diego mosque.”
Krishnamoorthi asked witnesses whether they agreed that “Islamophobia and hate have no place in America” — receiving unanimous agreement. Jamil Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, who identified himself as Muslim, echoed Krishnamoorthi’s concerns and warned that antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate are rising together.
“As a Muslim, I don’t like Islamophobia,” Jaffer said. “We have seen a rise in both these trends — antisemitism and anti-Islamism — here in the United States.”
Jaffer added that “the same people who hate Jewish people hate Muslims just as much,” emphasizing that Americans are “stronger together than at each other’s throats.”
Krishnamoorthi also condemned rhetoric from elected officials who he said were equating Muslims with terrorism and explicitly calling for “more Islamophobia.”
The same day, along with several other lawmakers, reintroduced the Hate Crimes Commission Act alongside, joined by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and House co-leads Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY).
This bicameral legislation aims to strengthen the nation’s response to hate crimes, improve hate crime reporting, and identify strategies to prevent bias-motivated violence, the lawmakers contend. The legislation would establish a bipartisan United States Commission on Hate Crimes to examine the factors driving hate crimes, barriers to accurate reporting, and evidence-based approaches to prevention, while directing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit federal hate crime data collection systems.
“No one should have to live in fear because of who they are, how they worship, whom they love, or where they come from,” Krishnamoorthi said, adding, “As hate-fueled violence and intimidation continue to threaten communities across our country, we need stronger tools to understand what is driving these attacks, improve reporting, and identify strategies that can help prevent future violence. The Hate Crimes Commission Act will help strengthen our response to hate crimes and better protect communities from acts of hate.”
His views were echoed by Gillibrand and Velasquez.
According to the FBI, more than 11,000 single-bias hate crime incidents involving nearly 14,000 victims were reported in 2024, targeting Americans on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and other protected characteristics.
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