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4w ago

Pope Leo XIV's U.S. Citizenship Faces Legal Scrutiny as a Foreign Head of State

The U.S. State Department may review the citizenship of the first U.S.-born pope, though legal experts say revocation is unlikely without explicit renunciation.

Faithful wait for Pope Leo XIV weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his first weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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Overview

  • Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago as Robert Prevost, became the first U.S.-born pope on May 7, 2025, and holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru.
  • The U.S. State Department has the authority to review the citizenship status of Americans serving as foreign heads of state, raising questions about the pope's legal position.
  • Experts argue that Pope Leo XIV is unlikely to lose his U.S. citizenship as the Supreme Court has ruled that citizenship cannot be stripped without intentional renunciation.
  • Peruvian law allows Pope Leo XIV to retain his citizenship, which he obtained in 2015 after serving as a missionary and bishop in Peru.
  • Historical precedent shows previous popes retained home-country citizenship, and other U.S. citizens have led foreign governments, sometimes renouncing their U.S. citizenship.