Kamala Harris is Eligible to Become President
The Claim
Rumors are circulating that Senator Kamala Harris is ineligible to take over the Presidency from Joe Biden because her parents were not American citizens at the time of her birth.
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Emerging story
In August 2020, Newsweek published an editorial that debated the eligibility of Kamala Harris to succeed the presidency from her running mate, Joe Biden, citing the citizenship of her parents at the time of her birth. While intended to be nothing more than a discussion, the article received major criticism for sparking a theory that was later perpetuated by President Donald Trump. While the claims started in 2019, there is new interest in the theory as a result of Harris being selected as Joe Biden’s running mate.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation shows that the claim is fake. Article II, Section 1of the U.S. Constitution states that in order to serve as President of the United States, one must be at least 35 years old, have been a resident of the United States for at least 14 years, and be a ‘natural born Citizen’. The 22nd amendment states that one cannot have already been president for more than a term and a half.
Senator Harris was born in Oakland, California, making her born on U.S. soil, thus making her a natural-born U.S. citizen under the 14th Amendment, and therefore eligible to serve as either the vice president or president of the United States.
While Harris’s parents were not American citizens when the senator was born, it holds no barring over her to serve as either President or Vice President of the United States. Newsweek has since apologized for publishing the editorial. As
