WWII Vet an illegal citizen...

[R13]

even drawing SS, how many want to have him deported? Not many I would assume.

Ninety-five-year-old Leeland Davidson discovered recently that he's not considered a U.S. citizen, despite living nearly 100 years in the country and serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII.

Davidson, from Centralia, Washington, told KOMO News that he discovered he wasn't a U.S. citizen when he was turned down for an enhanced driver's license he needed for a trip to Canada to visit relatives.

"We always figured because he was born to U.S. parents he's automatically a U.S. citizen," said Davidson's daughter, Rose Schoolcraft.

Davidson was born in British Columbia in 1916, but his parents didn't register the birth with the U.S. government to ensure they knew he was a citizen. He checked up on his citizenship before joining the Navy and was told by an inspector at the U.S. Department of Labor Immigration and Naturalization Service he had nothing to worry about. Now he worries that he won't be able to prove his citizenship, because his parents were born in Iowa before local governments started keeping records of birth certificates in 1880. "I want it squared away before I pass away," he says.

Schoolcraft says they tried to dissuade him from pursuing the matter. Employees at the local passport office scared them, telling her father "If he pursued it, (he could) possibly be deported or [be] at risk of losing Social Security."

"We keep telling him, leave it alone, leave it alone, and he won't, like a dog with a bone," Schoolcraft told the Centralia Chronicle. But Davidson says: "I want to get it done before I die." He also still wants to visit his friends and family in Canada. Sen Patty Murray's office is helping him with his application.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...-a-u-s-citizen

[starbuck]

I think this is a totaly different situation than what you are hinting at.

[R13]

Not with the new legislation being passed around the states now, that even if you're born here, you're still not a citizen.

[centennialdawg]

NOW, nowhere in that article did it say he was an illegal citizen, just that he wasn't a U.S. citizen. Many veterans, who are not U.S. citizens become citizens after serving in the military honorably and/or are awarded certain medals of valor, like the MOH, Bronze star, or Silver Star.

All this article really says is that he has not been declared a U.S. born citizen.

[R13]

What do you think it is talking about? He's not a US citizen, as the article clearly says, he's here illegally. I probably should have worded it, WWII Vet not US citizen but technically it is illegal. They have said that he could be deported. Again, this was interesting considering one particular group trying to strip rights away even though they were born here...even though he wasn't, no one's wanting him pushed out the door.

That's for already legal immigrants to earn citizenship, which doesn't apply to that many, that's what the whole Dream Act was based on(which was voted down), that stated by going through a program it set up, you could earn citizenship by serving in the military for so many years - 2 maybe.

[centennialdawg]

Somehow, I don't get what you are saying, are you saying that you want him out of the country, or what? I think his daughter(?) said he could possibly be deported but nowhere in the article itself did it say he could be. His problem lies in the fact that he can't prove that his parents were U.S. citizens, but the way I see it, the government can't prove they weren't. In cases of "legal" citizens who are born here by parents who are illegal/undocumented is a totally different thing. The government can prove they(parents) are not legal citizens.

This man served honorably, therefore granting him his naturalized citizen status is the least the government can do.

[R13]

Somehow, I don't get what you are saying, are you saying that you want him out of the country, or what?

Of course I don't want him out, I'm using the argument many are using against illegals. I would imagine they wouldn't want him deported, I don't either, but they are so against that Act that stated if you served your country/got an education, you could be a citizen.

I think his daughter(?) said he could possibly be deported but nowhere in the article itself did it say he could be.

"Schoolcraft says they tried to dissuade him from pursuing the matter. Employees at the local passport office scared them, telling her father "If he pursued it, (he could) possibly be deported or [be] at risk of losing Social Security."

His problem lies in the fact that he can't prove that his parents were U.S. citizens, but the way I see it, the government can't prove they weren't.

But he wasn't born here, if he was, it wouldn't matter where he parents were born.

In cases of "legal" citizens who are born here by parents who are illegal/undocumented is a totally different thing. The government can prove they(parents) are not legal citizens.

I don't get what you're talking about, I see how you used quotations about "legal", as if there's some question as to if they are or not. You're no more of a citizen then those people. Sad news, the law/constitution says if you were born here, you're a citizen...how on earth is that even an issue and what basis do you or they have to say otherwise? What difference does it make where their parents were born if the person in question WAS born here? The gov. recognizes that, it's one group/party that's arguing otherwise because of personal issues with the immigrants.

This man served honorably, therefore granting him his naturalized citizen status is the least the government can do.

Thank you, case in point. Anyone who contributes to the the country or even their community willing to bust their ass/risk their life, absolutely deserves it...my point is he deserves it, many others do too though, but some with personal issues with them can't use some common sense like it's so easy to apply in this situation.