Posted on 03/15/2026 7:05:57 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
After fighting for almost a decade to gain U.S. citizenship, time is running out for Marine Corps veteran Paul Canton.
He’ll likely be deported soon back to his native New Zealand, despite serving in the U.S. military for seven years, and building a life in Central Florida for more than 25 years.
Canton’s story first hit the news cycle in 2020 when his application for citizenship was rejected by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, even though the former Marine had no criminal record.
Despite the setback, Canton and his family kept working on his citizenship case, gaining support from leaders on both sides of the political spectrum.
However, Canton’s glimmer of hope was torpedoed in February when a federal judge nixed his appeal, bringing him one step closer to leaving the place he’s called home for 35 years.
Paul Canton built a life in Central Florida, got married and raised a family after leaving the Marine Corps in 1998. (Facebook) 'Flawed System' Both Democratic and Republican politicians, especially from Florida, have voiced concerns over Canton’s plight, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with former Congresswomen Val Demings and current representative Daniel Webster, some even offering help to the former Marine.
But Canton feels the U.S. immigration system is flawed, especially when laws aren’t in the books to allow automatic citizenship to veterans who were honorably discharged with no prior criminal transgressions. His attorney, Elizabeth Ricci, was hopeful Canton would receive citizenship on appeal, but that wasn’t the case.
Left with few options, Canton is planning to uproot his life in the U.S. and return to New Zealand.
Canton looks back on his service with pride. His home in Marion County, Florida, is decorated with memories from his life as a Marine.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
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If you serve honorably, and have sign-offs sufficiently high from unit commanders, that should be grounds for earning your citizenship.
There already are, but this story isn’t telling the whole truth is it?
I can’t believe no one has intervened on his behalf.
This sucks.
it’s not adding up thats for sure
Sob story designed to “get Trump”.
Nothing like a military content writer who never served a day in the military. Hired by Military.com during the Biden administration.
A good writer, I am sure. The question is, what narrative is he shaping?
Service members get fast-tracked for citizenship IF they do the paperwork. Why didn’t he apply during those 7 years?
I don't know. In my first unit, I had a sergeant foreign national from Jamaica. He already was on his second hit h by that time. Eventually, I asked him about becoming a citizen. He was interested and got started on the process, but I transferred before knowing how it worked out.
So I truly don't know what the law says about that, or whether or not there must be facts not told in the article.
Grok seems to have filled in the gaps
Paul Canton, a Marine Corps veteran originally from New Zealand (raised in Australia), was denied U.S. citizenship primarily due to a legal technicality related to the timing of his military service under special naturalization provisions for wartime veterans.U.S. law (under sections like INA 329) allows expedited naturalization for certain non-citizen veterans who serve honorably during designated “periods of hostility” (e.g., the Persian Gulf War, which had specific start and end dates). Canton enlisted during the Persian Gulf War period, but his active duty began two weeks after that designated period of hostility officially ended. As a result, USCIS ruled he did not qualify for the expedited wartime veteran pathway to citizenship, despite his four years of honorable service in the Marines (including in the Reserves).He enlisted after arriving in the U.S. as a 17-year-old exchange student in 1988, was recruited with promises (including from his recruiter) that honorable discharge would lead to citizenship, but he was neither a citizen nor a lawful permanent resident at enlistment—something the military overlooked or mishandled.Canton only discovered he wasn’t a U.S. citizen around 2019 while applying for a Real ID driver’s license (after decades of living as one: marrying, paying taxes, raising a family, and even voting in elections, believing he was a citizen due to his service).Early denials sometimes cited unlawful voting (which can indicate lack of good moral character), but that was later dropped or not the core issue in appeals. His voting record has complicated other potential immigration paths (like family-based sponsorship), as unlawful voting can bar relief under immigration law.Despite appeals, including a federal court case, a judge upheld the denial in early 2026 (around February), citing the service timing issue and lack of jurisdiction or eligibility under the law. This has left him facing deportation, and he is now effectively stateless (having renounced Australian citizenship upon enlisting, per some reports).His case highlights broader issues with military recruiter promises to non-citizen enlistees and gaps in veteran naturalization rules. Options like a private bill from Congress or executive intervention remain his attorney’s suggested paths, but as of mid-March 2026, the fight appears lost in court.
Isn’t he the kind of immigrant we want here? It seems wrong to kick a marine out.
Something missing here. Like why has he been denied?
The illegal kind that voted illegally? Nah.
Still not the whole story.
"Canton went on to marry, have children, work, and build a life in Florida. He has no criminal record. He even voted in U.S. elections — believing he was an American citizen. It wasn't until a routine trip to renew his driver's license that he discovered he was not in the country legally."He says he was "promised" citizenship.
Knowing bureaucracy as I do from working in many nations, without PAPERWORK proving and an actual naturalization event, that "promise" -- unproven -- is just an assertion.
Again, from that article:
"I don't even have any identification to prove who I am," Canton said.Really? No birth certificate. No travel records? No education records? No prior NZ passport? There's a bunch missing in this story.
The article appears to be lacking something. What, I don’t know, but f the inference is that a person who honorably served in the U. S. Military, in this case seven years and has no history of things that would cause denial of an application for citizenship, then he has earned, IMHO, a benefit which should move him to the front of the line. Last I heard, New Zealand is an ally to the United States, so it’s not like he’s coming from a hostile country.
That being said, if this story is accurate, then deporting Canton and not deporting Garcia, “the Maryland dad” and others like him is sheer lunacy.
It appears that Canton made a few of mistakes. He should have crossed the Mexican/U. S. border illegally, gone on welfare, demanded the U. S. change to be like New Zealand and should have gone on protests, waiving the flag of New Zealand.
And protested and assaulted I.C.E. agents.
That would guarantee he would have had the entire Democrat party “demanding” (they like to “demand” a lot while they’re in the minority) his citizenship and the right to vote . . .
“ But Canton feels the U.S. immigration system is flawed…”
We don’t care about your feelings.
L
I thought signing up for America’s armed forces was an automatic path to citizenship. I read that years ago. It has been true for hundreds of years.
There has to be something about this that’s being left out.
This is a place 47 needs to step in and make things right for the guy.
Paragraphs are your friend, else it becomes unreadable.
Right, so much of this doesn’t make sense. How did he acquire a Florida state drivers license under the real id regulations. How did he pay taxes, have a job, bank, ie. All the normal stuff Americans have to do while proving their background.
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