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In A24’s Civil War, a journalist, played by Wagner Moura, pleads with the militiaman, played by Jesse Plemons, who has detained him and his colleagues at gunpoint. “We’re American.” The militiaman replies, “What kind of American?” In a flood of executive orders and proposed bills, the GOP asks U.S. citizens the same question.

This month, Bernie Moreno, a Senate Republican from Ohio, introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, legislation that would compel any U.S. citizen with a second citizenship to choose between the two. Though Moreno’s bill is likely to face heavy resistance due to 14th Amendment protections, it’s a reminder for people like my family and me: Not all U.S. citizenships are created equal.

I was born and raised in the U.S. I’m a U.S. citizen, but I’m also a Spanish citizen through my parents, who were both Spanish citizens when I was born. I never really thought much about my Spanish citizenship. More than anything, I’m American. I grew up watching The Wonder Years, building model planes with my dad, and playing basketball. Plus, my English is a lot stronger than........

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