Ilhan Omar brushed off Republican Rep. Nancy Mace’s proposal to ban foreign-born people from holding federal offices, and Mace says the measure is meant to guarantee loyalty from those who wield power in Washington.

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) was asked about a new resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-01) that would bar foreign-born individuals from serving in federal office. The exchange happened at the Capitol when a Fox News reporter confronted Omar about Mace’s proposal and whether it targeted her personally. The back-and-forth was short, direct and framed by the larger political fight over eligibility and loyalty.

A Fox News reporter asked Omar about the measure at the Capitol building. “Can I ask you about Nancy Mace? She proposed a resolution that would bar foreign-born individuals from serving in Congress. What do you think about that? She mentioned you as an example. What’s your response to that?” he asked. Omar didn’t give a long answer and kept the tone dismissive rather than defensive when questioned on the record.

“Good luck to her,” Omar replied. “So, you don’t think it will go anywhere,” the reporter asked. “No,” Omar responded.

On May 20, Mace formally introduced the resolution and later explained her reasoning during a Fox News appearance. “Well, I’ve tried to throw Ilhan Omar out of Congress and have been blocked every time,” the lawmaker said. “In fact, I tried to subpoena her and her alleged brother husband’s immigration records and was stopped from doing that, too. I would be fine if we made it retroactive, but at least going forward, if this thing can happen, then for the next election cycle or reelection cycle, it would apply to those individuals who should not be serving in Congress.”

Mace framed the proposal as a matter of ensuring that those who reach positions of major power in Washington are loyal only to the United States. She singled out Omar in public comments, arguing that loyalty to a foreign homeland can create conflicts of interest for lawmakers and officials. That accusation is politically explosive, and Democrats quickly pushed back by painting the proposal as xenophobic and needle-stitching politics.

The mechanics of Mace’s idea would be sweeping: the resolution would make members of Congress, federal judges and Senate-confirmed officers required to be natural born citizens. Under the current Constitution, the natural born citizen requirement applies only to the president and vice president. Changing that standard across branches and offices would require a constitutional amendment, which is a deliberately difficult process.

Any move to alter basic eligibility rules would set off major legal and political battles, and the amendment route ensures there are high hurdles before such a change could take effect. Supporters argue those hurdles are necessary to protect the Republic from foreign influence, while opponents warn about discrimination and the chilling effect on immigrants and naturalized citizens who have served in public life. The dispute cuts to the core of how the country balances openness with national security and institutional trust.

Republicans who back Mace see the proposal as a commonsense step to prevent divided loyalties among high officeholders, and they view Omar’s quick dismissal as evasive. Democrats see the move as a direct attack on a congresswoman who is both vocal and controversial, and they are ready to frame the measure as an assault on immigrant contributions to American civic life. The political optics make it far more than a dry legal question; it immediately became a talking point for campaigns and cable news.

Practically speaking, the constitutional route means this resolution is more signal than instant policy change. Amending the Constitution requires supermajorities in Congress and ratification by the states, so any effort would be long, public and legally layered. That distance from immediate effect does not stop the fight from shaping headlines and mobilizing activists on both sides, and it guarantees the debate will reverberate into future campaign cycles.