Long gone are the days when identity and citizenship were constricted to limited labels. Because we are a country of immigrants stemming from various different nationalities, our society is diverse and continues to become more diverse. As a result, dual citizenship statuses are increasingly popular.
A person with dual citizenship or dual nationality is a national of two countries. Dual citizenship can be requested or automatically given based on conditions regarding a person’s birth, marital status or legal status. However, if a U.S. citizen willingly applies for another citizenship outside of the aforementioned parameters, the citizen must give up their U.S. nationality.
Furthermore, according to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, dual citizenship is not encouraged, the citizen must abide by the laws of both countries, and the citizen might not receive the full benefits of being a U.S. citizen. Moreover, situations can arise when the laws and interests for both countries are in conflict. But if one is an active member who dutifully pays his or her taxes, why should his or her allegiance be of concern to anyone else, particularly the U.S. government? Dual Citizenship does not equate to a decrease in loyalty.
One of the biggest struggles those with dual citizenship status face is the stigma associated with it. For example, Michelle Bachmann, a representative from Minnesota, became a dual citizen of Switzerland. She withdrew her allegiance after fellow politicians and Conservatives criticized her. The criticisms focused on the possibility for a conflict of interests to arise, which could affect her decision-making as a House representative. Dual citizenship should be viewed as a symbol of cultural identity and nothing more, but, instead, it provokes questions of loyalty. Especially when it comes to running for positions of high political stature, dual citizenship leads people to question a person’s capability to make “American” decisions and be an appropriate representation of a U.S. citizen.
The political tension surrounding a person’s choice to be a dual citizen was petty. How pathetic is it that Bachmann’s career of many years as a public servant was questioned simply because she wanted her children to be able to stay in regular contact with their American and Swedish heritages? Besides, most of the Americans today are not exclusively “American” and, unless you’re exclusively Native American, you are connected to the culture and history of a parent nation, as well.
Outside of the legal and political aspects of citizenship, to be able to maintain sociocultural attachment is the biggest reason why people wish to obtain dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is a means people use to cope with the loss of not being at home and to remain in touch with their roots.
Dual citizenship is a right, not a privilege. We live in a postmodern, globalized age in which we constantly redefine commonalities of our society as we adapt. One’s job market or future is no longer limited to the home he or she has always known — the truth is it could be anywhere. A Passport holds more weight than simply being a tightly bound booklet with multiple stamps; it is a material preservation of someone’s sociocultural identity. One of the biggest reasons people want to be a dual citizen is to have attachments to their birth home and their “naturalized” home, where they are employed and have a proper financial base. Having to decide between allegiance and security defies the core purpose of what citizenship is.
