TAMPA, Fla. — “Katie, your reporting is very eye-opening, and it is very disturbing. I had no idea this was happening,” expressed U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor in response to a recent article about Florida veteran Paul Canton.
Paul Canton, a dedicated former U.S. Marine, honorably served during the first Gulf War in the 1990s. Yet, his journey toward becoming a legal U.S. citizen has felt more like a grueling uphill battle. The irony is hard to ignore; a man who fought for his country now finds himself fighting for recognition in a land he defended.
“How can someone serve in the Marine Corps for eight years and be left high and dry by the very nation he courageously defended? He deserves to be treated like royalty,” Castor remarked after learning about Canton’s plight for citizenship.
The first introduction to Canton came last July, where a father of two revealed the difficulties he faced. Originally from New Zealand and raised in Australia, Canton was enlisted into the U.S. Marines in the early ’90s, under what he describes as misguided assurances about citizenship. “They promised citizenship if I received an honorable discharge,” he recounted, reflecting on a promise that never materialized.
Years later, during a mundane task like renewing his Florida driver’s license, Canton discovered the unsettling truth: he was not legally residing in the United States. Since then, he has engaged in an ongoing struggle for citizenship, with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) turning down his applications on several occasions, including appeals.
USCIS’s denial letters highlight a perplexing clause — though Canton enlisted during a “period of hostility,” they assert he didn’t commence active duty until after that period ended, excluding him from citizenship as a foreign veteran. His attorney, Elizabeth Ricci, believes this interpretation is fundamentally flawed. “He had no control over when he was called for active duty,” she argued passionately.
Ricci’s assessment extends further; she pointed out that Canton should never have been recruited in the first place since his visa had expired at the time. The consequences of his service are dire; having given up his citizenship in both Australia and New Zealand, Canton now stands in a state of limbo, effectively “stateless.”
“This is incredibly unjust. He served our country,” Ricci lamented during their interview in July.
In a bid for justice, Canton and Ricci took their case to federal court last year. Yet, a recent ruling by US Magistrate Judge Embry Kidd dismissed two of three charges, largely based on the argument that courts lacked the jurisdiction to evaluate USCIS’s refusal of his naturalization applications. Frustration loomed in the air, underlining the feelings of many who see Richmond’s case as emblematic of systemic flaws in the immigration system.
Castor echoes this sentiment, noting that if veterans like Canton have served with honor and a clear record, there should be no bureaucratic battles preventing them from obtaining citizenship. “He should be recognized—not challenged—when applying for citizenship given his service,” she asserted. “Let’s not squander resources fighting this matter; let’s make sure he can contribute positively to society, as he deserves.”
The ramifications of Canton’s case extend beyond his situation. Castor suspects that many foreign veterans, likely hundreds or thousands, might face similar predicaments. This alarming trend has prompted her to examine legislation reintroduced last year by U.S. Senator and Army veteran Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. Known as the Veterans Visa and Protection Act, HOPE Act, and I-VETS Act, the proposed legislation aims to shield non-violent immigrant veterans from deportation and pave a smoother pathway to citizenship based on their military service.
“There must be a streamlined process to ensure those who have served the U.S. and earned their rights receive their citizenship without the bureaucratic mess,” Castor concluded, illustrating the urgent need for reform in the immigration landscape.
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