MONTGOMERY, AL — A proposed constitutional amendment in Alabama would bar naturalized U.S. citizens from holding most state and local offices, reigniting debate over citizenship rights and constitutional protections, according to News from the States.
Senate Bill 21, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva), would require candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, legislators, judges, attorney general, secretary of state, sheriffs, and district attorneys to be “natural born citizens.” The measure was introduced at the request of Secretary of State Wes Allen, who argued that “the same standard that applies to the president should apply to top state officials.”
Chesteen said he is not worried about constitutional challenges, but legal experts disagree. Pam Karlan, a law professor at Stanford, called the proposal “a truly evil idea,” saying it violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, which guarantees equal protection for all citizens, naturalized or native-born.
According to the American Immigration Council, about 77,000 naturalized citizens live in Alabama, or roughly 1.5% of the population.
If approved by 60% of both legislative chambers, the measure would go to voters in 2026. With Republicans controlling 71% of the Legislature, passage is possible.
Alabama would become the first state to constitutionally restrict all state offices to natural-born citizens. Chesteen said, “There’s a first time for everything,” acknowledging that legal challenges may follow.
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