Amendment would bar naturalized citizens from federal bench permanently.

What it does

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring all federal judges to be natural-born U.S. citizens. If ratified, sitting judges who are not natural-born citizens would be removed from office two years after ratification. The amendment would bar naturalized citizens—regardless of tenure, qualifications, or service—from ever serving on the federal bench.

Why we flagged it

This is a straightforward constitutional amendment proposal with no hidden mechanisms. It plainly states a single eligibility requirement for federal judges and a transition rule for sitting judges. The bill does exactly what its title says.

What the text implies

• Removal of sitting judges two years post-ratification would create significant federal bench vacancies and judicial instability during the transition period.
• The amendment does not define 'natural born citizen'—a term with contested historical and legal meaning—leaving interpretation to future courts and potentially creating litigation over which sitting judges must be removed.
• Naturalized citizens comprise a meaningful portion of the legal profession; this amendment would eliminate an entire class of qualified candidates from the judiciary based on citizenship origin alone, not merit.
• The seven-year ratification window creates uncertainty for sitting naturalized judges, potentially affecting judicial independence and decision-making during the ratification period.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Citizens lose access to a broader, merit-based judiciary. Naturalized citizens—who have demonstrated commitment to the nation through formal citizenship processes—are categorically excluded from judicial service regardless of qualifications, experience, or judicial record. Sitting judges would face removal based solely on citizenship origin, not performance or fitness, undermining judicial stability and the principle that public office should be open to all qualified citizens.

Named in the bill

U.S. House of Representatives, House Committee on the Judiciary, Mr. Perry (sponsor), Federal judiciary, Supreme Court, Inferior courts

Where it stands

• Oct 15, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Oct 15, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.