Wall Street Journal
By Allison Prang and Paul Vieira
August 20, 2013
Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said he will renounce his Canadian citizenship assuming that a Dallas Morning News report that he has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada proves true.
In order for Mr. Cruz’s renunciation to be recognized in Canada, an application must be filed, said Sonia Lesage of Canada’s citizenship and immigration department.
“If indeed he is a Canadian citizen, he will take the steps necessary to formally renounce,” Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said in an email.
The Morning News’ findings come amid speculation Mr. Cruz is considering a run for president in 2016. President Barack Obama, whose father was from Kenya, faced prolonged questioning about his citizenship, and the issue also arose with Mr. Obama’s 2008 rival, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), who was born in the Panama Canal Zone.
“Because I was a U.S. citizen at birth, because I left Calgary when I was 4 and have lived my entire life since then in the U.S., and because I have never taken affirmative steps to claim Canadian citizenship, I assumed that was the end of the matter,” Mr. Cruz said in a statement issued Monday night. “Now the Dallas Morning News says that I may technically have dual citizenship. Assuming that is true, then sure, I will renounce any Canadian citizenship.”
According to a copy of Mr. Cruz’s birth certificate, the senator was born in Calgary, Alberta, on Dec. 22, 1970. His father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, was born in Matanzas, Cuba. His mother, Eleanor Elizabeth Wilson, was born in Wilmington, Del. Mr. Cruz’s parents moved to Canada and started a “seismic-data business” the Morning News reported. Though his father is a Cuban citizen, Cuba doesn’t allow dual citizenship, the newspaper reported.
Those who renounce Canadian citizenship can no longer vote in Canada or use a Canadian passport, and would have to complete the immigration process if he or she wanted to “return to Canada as a permanent resident,” Ms. Lesage said.
Canada’s four-page application to renounce citizenship is available online. According to Canada’s citizenship and immigration department’s website, there is the potential for applications to be delayed or applicants could be asked to interview with a “citizenship judge.” If the application gets approved, the applicant will be sent “a certificate of renunciation,” it states.
“Nothing against Canada, but I’m an American by birth and as a U.S. Senator, I believe I should be only an American,” Mr. Cruz said in his statement.
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