SHOCKWAVE ON CAPITOL HILL: Rep. Jim Jordan’s Radical Bill Bars Foreign-Born Americans from Congress and White House – Jeanine Pirro’s Swift Endorsement Ignites Fury

By Sofia Alvarez, National Political Reporter

Washington, D.C. – November 10, 2025 – In a move that has sent shockwaves through the halls of Congress and beyond, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the firebrand chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation Monday morning that would fundamentally reshape American democracy: a blanket ban on any foreign-born individual serving in Congress or the presidency, regardless of naturalized citizenship or decades of residency. Dubbed the “American Roots Leadership Act,” the bill proposes amending eligibility rules to require candidates for the House, Senate, or Oval Office to be born on U.S. soil – a seismic shift that critics decry as xenophobic overreach, while supporters hail it as a bulwark against “divided loyalties.”

The proposal arrives amid a roiling national debate on immigration, fueled by President Donald Trump’s recent executive order challenging birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. Jordan, a staunch Trump ally long vocal on border security, framed the bill as a “common-sense safeguard” in a floor speech, invoking fears of foreign influence in an era of global tensions. “Our founders knew the risks of leaders with ties to foreign powers,” Jordan thundered, referencing Alexander Hamilton’s warnings during the Constitutional Convention. “This isn’t about punishing immigrants who’ve built lives here – it’s about ensuring the heart of our government beats with undivided American allegiance from birth.”

Under current law, the Constitution’s Article II, Section 1 mandates that presidents be “natural born” citizens – a clause interpreted by scholars and courts to include those born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, but excluding naturalized citizens. For Congress, Article I requires only seven years’ citizenship for House members and nine for senators – no birth requirement. Jordan’s bill would upend this, extending the presidential bar to all federal lawmakers and explicitly defining “natural born” as soil-born only, stripping eligibility from an estimated 15 million naturalized citizens who could otherwise run.

The bill’s text, obtained by The National Ledger, reads in part: “No person who is not born within the territorial boundaries of the United States shall be eligible to hold office in the executive branch as President or Vice President, or to serve as a Member of the United States House of Representatives or Senate.” It would grandfather in current officeholders but apply retroactively to future candidacies, potentially disqualifying high-profile figures like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), whose mother was born in Ukraine, or former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.), a naturalized Austrian immigrant eyeing a Senate run.

But the real accelerant came just four hours later, when Fox News host and former judge Jeanine Pirro – a Trump confidante and ratings juggernaut – threw her weight behind the measure on her weekend show, Justice with Judge Jeanine. Pirro, whose own parents were Lebanese and Italian immigrants but who was born in New York, didn’t hold back. “This country was built by dreamers, not doubters of America’s soul,” she declared, her signature prosecutorial glare fixed on the camera. “But leadership? That’s for those whose first cry was on American soil. Stand up for what this nation was built on – unyielding loyalty from the cradle. Rep. Jordan’s bill isn’t exclusion; it’s essence.”

Pirro’s endorsement – broadcast to 3.2 million viewers – detonated social media. #AmericanRoots trended nationwide within minutes, racking up 1.7 million posts by evening, split between MAGA cheers (“Finally, America First in the ballot box!”) and progressive outrage (“This is birtherism on steroids – Pirro’s betraying her own immigrant roots!”). One viral thread from actor George Takei read: “From internment camps to this? Jordan and Pirro want to build walls around the Capitol too.” By midday, the clip had 45 million views, crashing Fox’s streaming servers temporarily.

Supporters, including Trump himself, who reposted Pirro’s segment on Truth Social with a single emoji – a bald eagle – argue the bill honors “American tradition” amid rising concerns over dual citizenships in Congress. “We’ve got lawmakers with passports from places that hate us,” Jordan told reporters post-speech. “Time to protect the people’s house.” Conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation echoed this, citing a 2024 study claiming 12 sitting members hold foreign passports, though the figure is disputed.

Critics, however, see it as a direct assault on inclusion, harking back to the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States… are citizens.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) blasted it as “a nativist fever dream that would disqualify more 2026 hopefuls than a bad poll.” Indeed, the bill could sideline rising stars like Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), born in Somalia, or potential VP picks with immigrant parents. The ACLU vowed immediate litigation, calling it “unconstitutional on its face” for infringing on equal protection.

Legal experts warn of a constitutional Armageddon. Amending Article I would require two-thirds congressional approval and ratification by 38 states – a Herculean task in a polarized era. Even if framed as statutory interpretation, courts would likely invoke U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), which affirmed birthright citizenship for all born on U.S. soil. “This isn’t legislation; it’s a loyalty test,” said NYU constitutional scholar Melissa Murray. “It echoes the Alien and Sedition Acts – history’s villains dressed as patriots.”

On the streets, reactions boiled over. In Miami’s Little Havana, Cuban-American protesters waved signs reading “Immigrants Built This – Don’t Lock Us Out.” In Jordan’s Ohio district, a rally drew 500 supporters chanting “Roots First!” Pirro’s pivot added personal sting; her 2015 show defended the 14th Amendment’s “subject to the jurisdiction” clause against birthright challenges for undocumented kids’ children. “Jeannie’s flip-flop? It’s Trumpism’s gravitational pull,” quipped a former colleague.

As the 2026 midterms loom, the bill’s shadow grows. It could force a GOP purity test, alienating moderates like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), whose parents were Cuban immigrants. Democrats, eyeing suburban gains, plan hearings framing it as “MAGA’s exclusion act.” Trump, fresh off his shutdown standoff, teased support: “Jim’s onto something big – real Americans leading real America.”

For naturalized citizens like 78-year-old Vietnamese refugee Lan Nguyen, a Cleveland nurse who’s voted Republican for decades, it’s personal. “I raised three sons here, paid taxes, buried a husband in Arlington. Now they say I couldn’t represent my own home?” she told The Ledger, voice cracking.

Jordan’s gambit, turbocharged by Pirro, isn’t just policy – it’s a cultural clarion call. Will it rally the base or fracture the coalition? As newsrooms scramble and keyboards blaze, one truth endures: in Trump’s America, the fight for who leads is as fierce as the border itself. The Constitution’s ink may be dry, but its soul is very much in play.