Trump questions Cruz's citizenship

[Ulic]

Here are the requirements from the US State Department for acquisition of US citizenship for someone born outside the US. The requirements are specified in the Immigration and Naturalization Act, not in the Constitution.

Birth Abroad to One Citizen and One Alien Parent in Wedlock

A child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent acquires U.S. citizenship at birth under Section 301(g) of the INA provided the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for the time period required by the law applicable at the time of the child's birth. (For birth on or after November 14, 1986, a period of five years physical presence, two after the age of fourteen, is required. For birth between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986, a period of ten years, five after the age of fourteen, is required for physical presence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions to transmit U.S. citizenship to the child.) The U.S. citizen parent must be the genetic or the gestational parent and the legal parent of the child under local law at the time and place of the child’s birth to transmit U.S. citizenship.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal-considerations/us-citizenship-laws-policies/citizenship-child-born-abroad.html

So the question is was Cruz's mother, Eleanor Darragh, present in the US for 10 year of which 5 must be over the age of 14 prior to Cruz's birth. If she was, then she should have filed Consular Report of Birth Abroad, State Dept. form FS-240. Cruz has never produced the form which would settle the question. If the form FS-240 was indeed filed it seems unlikely that Cruz would not have produced it to settle the question. Therefore, it seems likely that the form was never filed.

If the form was not filed then Cruz is not only not a US citizen, but since he renounced his Canadian citizenship, he would be a stateless person. By voting and taking office as a US senator he has probably committed voting and election fraud. Unlike with the Obama birther movement, Cruz has a real problem establishing eligibility to run for office.

This issue will not go away as long as Cruz remains in the race. The further he gets the more important it will be to settle the matter.

I was totally unaware of this. As I say often. I like to learn something every day.

[arjunadawn]

This is very typical of Disgusting Donald, and does not come as a surprise. He despises all non Americans. He probably despises all non white male Americans. He will do or say anything to accomplish his objectives. He has demonstrated that in a nearly 40 year career, full of lies, deceit, disingenuous behavior, bankruptcies, failed businesses, and mudslinging. It is in his very nature to hate, and to despise many. He is a vile man and a rather unimpressive human being, other than the money he has earned by stepping on the heads of others.

Why non white male Americans? Mexicans are not Mexicans because they are non white males, they are Mexicans because they are from Mexico. You supply the white.

Muslims are not muslims because they are non white males, they are muslims because they are followers of islam. You supply the white.

Bankruptcies and failed business are synonymous. There have been no Chapter 7's.

Mudslinging is as ancient as the Republic, no real indictment here.

Deceit, lies, and disingenuous behavior seem considerably to be your subjective opinion. No problem with that. You may be correct, but in light of your projecting "non white males"...

You are just... "Disgust[ed]." I get that.

(By the way, the single greatest deplorable feature about Trump is also one of HRC and Obama's many deplorable features- Narcissism).

[mopar71]

Some say? You mean some on Fox News say. 47% of Fox News viewers get 100% of their news from Fox. They are horribly misinformed. Take the above for example.

No, this is not what a political party should be going through...ever. 16 terrible, unelectable candidates trying to out-right wing each other with a xenophobic buffoon leading the pack. You're looking at multiple choices alright, one worst than the next.

Which of the three Democrat candidates is honestly electable? Murphy/McCarthy/O'Malley who apologized for saying all lives matter? Bernie the socialist clown who is as clueless about economics as Carson is about the Pyramids? Hillary who is under investigation and will spend time in jail if voter fraud doesn't save her first?

Hillary and the two mannequins the party uses as window dressing and nothing more are nothing to brag about even on a good day.

Hillary will be crowned by the Dems at their convention then she will go on to lose in November...and maybe even to this guy....

[Ulysses G.]

If one of your parents is a US citizen, you are automatically eligible for US citizenship and are considered a US citizen.

While some loonies are still going on about Obama's birth, the fact that McCain was born in Panama (canal zone) wasn't even on the radar.

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, a sovereign U.S. territory at the time of McCain's birth where his father was serving. He was born on U.S Military Base, which is considered American soil. Sorry, but no cigar. He was born an American citizen.

[Publicus]

Some say? You mean some on Fox News say. 47% of Fox News viewers get 100% of their news from Fox. They are horribly misinformed. Take the above for example.

No, this is not what a political party should be going through...ever. 16 terrible, unelectable candidates trying to out-right wing each other with a xenophobic buffoon leading the pack. You're looking at multiple choices alright, one worst than the next.

Which of the three Democrat candidates is honestly electable? Murphy/McCarthy/O'Malley who apologized for saying all lives matter? Bernie the socialist clown who is as clueless about economics as Carson is about the Pyramids? Hillary who is under investigation and will spend time in jail if voter fraud doesn't save her first?

Hillary and the two mannequins the party uses as window dressing and nothing more are nothing to brag about even on a good day.

Hillary will be crowned by the Dems at their convention then she will go on to lose in November...and maybe even to this guy....

Hillary who is under investigation

You'll have to document that and to cite the legal basis for the assertion which is repeated in your posts. Not some law that is not being applied, but the legal predicate that is directly being applied in your allegation that says "Hillary who is under investigation."

Investigation by whom? The mass of well funded and highly financed rightwingenut media does not apply. A judge holding hearings on some laywers' briefs being filed is not an investigation. Requests or filings for information by some party is not an investigation either.

Has FBI interviewed HR Clinton even as a person of interest or as a target? The Congress maximus is not an investigation either.

Congress holds hearings and does interviews outside the hearing room to conduct oversight and to make inquiries. Congress does take sworn testimony. Congress does not however file charges, issue indictments, is not a prosecutor nor is Congress a judicial court. Congress can be termed a General Court which is not a judicial court. Congress makes laws, it does not prosecute them.

Fess up.

[bendejo]

Trump is on a mission from God, he's here to cause the collapse of the GOP. He won't get the nom, but maybe he'll do a third party run. If it gets to that and the GOP anoints Jeb or Rubio the main course next September will be Sunshine State Hamburger, freshly ground daily.

[Publicus]

Just saw in a news report on a USA network that with Trump speaking in Burlington, Vermont today a local restaurant has a Trumpburger special sandwich....$25 bucks.

Only ingredient is baloney.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.

[spidermike007]

This is very typical of Disgusting Donald, and does not come as a surprise. He despises all non Americans. He probably despises all non white male Americans. He will do or say anything to accomplish his objectives. He has demonstrated that in a nearly 40 year career, full of lies, deceit, disingenuous behavior, bankruptcies, failed businesses, and mudslinging. It is in his very nature to hate, and to despise many. He is a vile man and a rather unimpressive human being, other than the money he has earned by stepping on the heads of others.

Why non white male Americans? Mexicans are not Mexicans because they are non white males, they are Mexicans because they are from Mexico. You supply the white.

Muslims are not muslims because they are non white males, they are muslims because they are followers of islam. You supply the white.

Bankruptcies and failed business are synonymous. There have been no Chapter 7's.

Mudslinging is as ancient as the Republic, no real indictment here.

Deceit, lies, and disingenuous behavior seem considerably to be your subjective opinion. No problem with that. You may be correct, but in light of your projecting "non white males"...

You are just... "Disgust[ed]." I get that.

(By the way, the single greatest deplorable feature about Trump is also one of HRC and Obama's many deplorable features- Narcissism).

What I meant by white, was American, without ethnic background. That seems to be what Trump prefers to see around him. And there is a long history of his distaste for women, hence the use of male. That is all. It appears obvious he wants to turn back to clock to the time when America was predominately white, without a large ethnic mix. Some of us love the ethnicity of the country. For me, it is colorful, adds a lot of texture and personality, and when I go back there, the only people that are strangers that I seem to get any warmth or signs of life from, are Latinos, and Blacks. With the Asians, a little bit. But, most whites in the US have this dead look in their eyes. And I am a white American male, saying this.

[Usernames]

That is why I used the word 'eligible'.

Until/unless more is known about his situation and the circumstances of his birth, we don't know for sure.

I think this was Trump's entire point. It's not that he, Trump, is questioning Cruz' eligibility, it's the likelihood that were Cruz to be nominated or even elected that the Democrat's could tie the issue of his eligibility up in the courts for years. Which is why, btw, the title of the topic is misleading at best and outright false at worst.

[spidermike007]

Some say? You mean some on Fox News say. 47% of Fox News viewers get 100% of their news from Fox. They are horribly misinformed. Take the above for example.

No, this is not what a political party should be going through...ever. 16 terrible, unelectable candidates trying to out-right wing each other with a xenophobic buffoon leading the pack. You're looking at multiple choices alright, one worst than the next.

Which of the three Democrat candidates is honestly electable? Murphy/McCarthy/O'Malley who apologized for saying all lives matter? Bernie the socialist clown who is as clueless about economics as Carson is about the Pyramids? Hillary who is under investigation and will spend time in jail if voter fraud doesn't save her first?

Hillary and the two mannequins the party uses as window dressing and nothing more are nothing to brag about even on a good day.

Hillary will be crowned by the Dems at their convention then she will go on to lose in November...and maybe even to this guy....

I tend to agree with Pinot. It is a terrible group to have to select from. Politics in the US has degenerated to the point where this is all we have to work with. The people of nobility, grace, elegance, and decency have no interest in running for the slime bucket office of president. They do not want to spend four years or more living in the sewer. So, we end up with people of this ilk, led by the fascist wannabe himself. I admit Hillary is a pretty bad choice. But Trump? He is not qualified to lead the New York chapter of the Boy Scouts. A Trump presidency might end up being the quickest path possible, to WIII. He is a hate monger, and an intolerant man. He would make a horrific negotiator, as he has no sense of fair play, nor does he possess any decency, honesty, or integrity.

[Usernames]

^^^

No sense of "fair play?" I hope not. Generations of American politicians have been fair playing the American worker into oblivion. I want to see us win for a change.

[Pinot]

Wingnuttia, where they think Cruz will be elected over HRC

[lostboy]

That is why I used the word 'eligible'.

Until/unless more is known about his situation and the circumstances of his birth, we don't know for sure.

I think this was Trump's entire point. It's not that he, Trump, is questioning Cruz' eligibility, it's the likelihood that were Cruz to be nominated or even elected that the Democrat's could tie the issue of his eligibility up in the courts for years. Which is why, btw, the title of the topic is misleading at best and outright false at worst.

The Interpreters of Trump. Acolytes explaining what their Deity really 'meant' by his words. Fanboys talking gibberish.

Trump speaks at a 4th Grade level as demonstrated by the Flesch Kincaid Readability Test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch–Kincaid_readability_tests. He adjusts his syntax to ensure emphasis on trigger words. His whole schtick is based on words. We don't need imbeciles elaborating on another imbecile's words. People have ears. They can listen for themselves.

Fanboys just adding to the noise.

[Usernames]

That is why I used the word 'eligible'.

Until/unless more is known about his situation and the circumstances of his birth, we don't know for sure.

I think this was Trump's entire point. It's not that he, Trump, is questioning Cruz' eligibility, it's the likelihood that were Cruz to be nominated or even elected that the Democrat's could tie the issue of his eligibility up in the courts for years. Which is why, btw, the title of the topic is misleading at best and outright false at worst.

The Interpreters of Trump. Acolytes explaining what their Deity really 'meant' by his words. Fanboys talking gibberish.

Trump speaks at a 4th Grade level as demonstrated by the Flesch Kincaid Readability Test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch–Kincaid_readability_tests. He adjusts his syntax to ensure emphasis on trigger words. His whole schtick is based on words. We don't need imbeciles elaborating on another imbecile's words. People have ears. They can listen for themselves.

Fanboys just adding to the noise.

Hyperbole. Hysteria.

[chuckd]

Hillary supporters are trying their best to get both Trump and Cruz thrown off the platform. They are the biggest threats to her Crowning, other than the ongoing FBI investigation, that is.

The Dems have nobody after Hillary is indicted. A failed Governor, a 73 year old self proclaimed Socialist and Joe Biden to fall back on when the others die out.

Some on here seem to be under the impression there is no active investigation ongoing into Hillary's e-mail setup and her misuse of classified documents. For those naysayers, here are a few links:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/hillary-clinton-email-fbi-probe-215630

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ex-u.s.-atty-clinton-two-months-away-from-criminal-indictment/article/2579620

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/426970/hillary-clinton-emails-fbi-investigation-widens

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2015/10/27/How-FBI-Could-Derail-Hillary-Clinton-s-Presidential-Run

[connda]

Go Donald! The left and MSM doesn't know how to handle you! Good job. Beating the progressive left at their own game.

[lostboy]

That is why I used the word 'eligible'.

Until/unless more is known about his situation and the circumstances of his birth, we don't know for sure.

I think this was Trump's entire point. It's not that he, Trump, is questioning Cruz' eligibility, it's the likelihood that were Cruz to be nominated or even elected that the Democrat's could tie the issue of his eligibility up in the courts for years. Which is why, btw, the title of the topic is misleading at best and outright false at worst.

The Interpreters of Trump. Acolytes explaining what their Deity really 'meant' by his words. Fanboys talking gibberish.

Trump speaks at a 4th Grade level as demonstrated by the Flesch Kincaid Readability Test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch–Kincaid_readability_tests. He adjusts his syntax to ensure emphasis on trigger words. His whole schtick is based on words. We don't need imbeciles elaborating on another imbecile's words. People have ears. They can listen for themselves.

Fanboys just adding to the noise.

Hyperbole. Hysteria.

Those of us with ears listened to Trump's comments on Cruz's nationality. We understood perfectly well what he said. We understood perfectly well what he meant. The topic heading exactly matches this. No hysterics. Nothing hyperbolic. The topic heading exactly matches Trump's words and intent. Your deliberate mis-interpretation in your zeal to fetishise your idol adds entirely nothing to his comment or to its blindingly obvious meaning. This is why he talks at 4th grade level. Just for his fanboys.

[ilostmypassword]

Go Donald! The left and MSM doesn't know how to handle you! Good job. Beating the progressive left at their own game.

Wow! Have you got it massively wrong. Given how he's doing in the polls, it's the other Republican contenders who don't know how to handle him.

[Richard W]

For instance, has the USA ever had a POTUS who has in fact been a citizen of another country ruled by a "foreign prince"? If so, what about it as a fait accompli?

While no-one holding a non-US citizenship may ever have been elected to or installed as US president, didn't the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011 make Obama a Kenyan citizen again? (Remember that he was born British and became Kenyan instead, and then lost Kenyan citizenship by not renouncing his other citizenship(s) as a young adult.) Would you claim that Uhuru Kenyatta was not a "foreign prince"?

[Rhys]

As trump... would say, this guy is good, your doing a good job.. takes his own advice.... just betcha... he pull it off... the billy bob nation has his back..

[Jingthing]

Cruz is in real contention for the nomination.

Thus, as I see it, his Canuckification^TM problems are TWOFOLD.

First, the definition of naturalized citizen. Trump is playing his snarky games but there is a grain of truth in his suggestion that Cruz will eventually need a definitive ruling. There actually IS a grey area. Of course, there is no grey area as to his U.S. CITIZENSHIP, there really is one as to his eligibility to be president.

Secondly, the OPTICS. The FACT that Cruz waited so long in his life to renounce his CANUCK CONNECTION, not coincidentally done when he knew he was running for president, does not look good.

In his favor, it's Canada. Not threatening.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Jingthing

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. This thread is about Trump and Cruz. Let's stick to that discussion for the time being.

[Ichabod]

Cruz is in real contention for the nomination.

Thus, as I see it, his Canuckification^TM problems are TWOFOLD.

First, the definition of naturalized citizen. Trump is playing his snarky games but there is a grain of truth in his suggestion that Cruz will eventually need a definitive ruling. There actually IS a grey area. Of course, there is no grey area as to his U.S. CITIZENSHIP, there really is one as to his eligibility to be president.

Secondly, the OPTICS. The FACT that Cruz waited so long in his life to renounce his CANUCK CONNECTION, not coincidentally done when he knew he was running for president, does not look good.

In his favor, it's Canada. Not threatening.

His US citizenship is very much in question. If his mother did not file the FS-240 form documenting with the State Department that she had met the residency requirements to transmit her US citizenship to her son, then he is not a US citizen since he never naturalized. If she did file the form then Cruz could end the discussion by producing it. Since he hasn't done so, it is unlikely that he was ever a US citizen.

There is nothing gray about the requirements in the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Cruz's compliance is not merely gray, but entirely opaque.

[Usernames]

Cruz is in real contention for the nomination.

Thus, as I see it, his Canuckification^TM problems are TWOFOLD.

First, the definition of naturalized citizen. Trump is playing his snarky games but there is a grain of truth in his suggestion that Cruz will eventually need a definitive ruling. There actually IS a grey area. Of course, there is no grey area as to his U.S. CITIZENSHIP, there really is one as to his eligibility to be president.

Secondly, the OPTICS. The FACT that Cruz waited so long in his life to renounce his CANUCK CONNECTION, not coincidentally done when he knew he was running for president, does not look good.

In his favor, it's Canada. Not threatening.

His US citizenship is very much in question. If his mother did not file the FS-240 form documenting with the State Department that she had met the residency requirements to transmit her US citizenship to her son, then he is not a US citizen since he never naturalized. If she did file the form then Cruz could end the discussion by producing it. Since he hasn't done so, it is unlikely that he was ever a US citizen.

There is nothing gray about the requirements in the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Cruz's compliance is not merely gray, but entirely opaque.

In other words, Trump is right. Again.

[Dumbastheycome]

This is very typical of Disgusting Donald, and does not come as a surprise. He despises all non Americans. He probably despises all non white male Americans. He will do or say anything to accomplish his objectives. He has demonstrated that in a nearly 40 year career, full of lies, deceit, disingenuous behavior, bankruptcies, failed businesses, and mudslinging. It is in his very nature to hate, and to despise many. He is a vile man and a rather unimpressive human being, other than the money he has earned by stepping on the heads of others.

Why non white male Americans? Mexicans are not Mexicans because they are non white males, they are Mexicans because they are from Mexico. You supply the white.

Muslims are not muslims because they are non white males, they are muslims because they are followers of islam. You supply the white.

Bankruptcies and failed business are synonymous. There have been no Chapter 7's.

Mudslinging is as ancient as the Republic, no real indictment here.

Deceit, lies, and disingenuous behavior seem considerably to be your subjective opinion. No problem with that. You may be correct, but in light of your projecting "non white males"...

You are just... "Disgust[ed]." I get that.

(By the way, the single greatest deplorable feature about Trump is also one of HRC and Obama's many deplorable features- Narcissism).

Pinnochio would be the ultimate choice of puppet ! And could be restained any color politically desired.

[Jingthing]

Hmm.

Ted Cruz is not eligible to be president

When discussing the meaning of a constitutional term, it is important to go beyond secondary sources and look to the law itself. And on this issue, the law is clear: The framers of the Constitution required the president of the United States to be born in the United States.

Game over?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ted-cruz-is-not-eligible-to-be-president/2016/01/12/1484a7d0-b7af-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

[sirineou]

Actually both Trump is wrong to assert that Ted Cruz is ineligible to be president, and Ted Cruz is wrong to assert that he is eligible

They are both wrong, so ho could this be , is this something like Schrodinger's Cat, both dead and alive?

well not really but there are three leading theories ways to interpret the constitution, .

"There are three leading theories of how to interpret the Constitution today. One is textualism: the Constitution means what its words say. The historical context of the words is important when a modern plain meaning is not self-evident. A second theory, adopted by many liberals, relies on a “living Constitution”: the Constitution means what is most consistent with fundamental constitutional values as applied to present circumstances. The third theory, championed by many leading conservatives, is originalism: The Constitution means what ordinary people would have understood it to mean at the time it was ratified, which is 1788."

"in 1790, Congress passed a law stating that “the children of citizens of the United States that may be born beyond Sea, or out of the limits of the United States shall be considered as natural born Citizens.”

"Then in 1940, Congress passed a statute dispensing with the need for a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen mother to naturalize."

​If the parent neglected to submit a form, is immaterial, the child can not be penalized for the parents fault.

The Problem is that Cruz is a stringent Originalist, and has being beating people over the head with it all his career, untill it applied to him, in that issue he suddenly became textualist in other words a fair weather Originalist.

So Cruz has two options one is to admite him self a fraud and abandon his legal principles, or to declare him self ineligible.

Read more at the link below:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/12/politics/laurence-tribe-ted-cruz-birther-argument/

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-lee-is-ted-cruz-eligible-to-be-president-20160110-story.html

[neverdie]

Somebody needs to challenge this windbag Trump. Is he in fact human?

There's already enough dangerous leaders of nations in the world, please USA don't vote this buffoon to power.

[sirineou]

Somebody needs to challenge this windbag Trump. Is he in fact human?

There's already enough dangerous leaders of nations in the world, please USA don't vote this buffoon to power.

"Somebody needs to challenge this windbag Trump. Is he in fact human?"

Somebody already has

[media]

[media]

Click on the YouTube icon at the bottom right corner of the video to watch at youtube after you click at the video

Edited January 13, 2016 by sirineou