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 ...
BTW This has been treated as though he was a foreigner who did not understand English
the sympathy is wasted...
English is his FIRST language and he understands it better than many Americans...
I doubt that the recruiter lied to him
and I doubt that he ‘misunderstood”
This is just an excuse he uses now...
They get a letter in the mail telling them to contact the embassy. It happens all the time with students who still owe mandatory military service. I've seen the letters myself.
Extradition is the legal process by which one country formally requests the surrender of an individual from another country to face trial or serve a sentence for a crime.
Key Principles of Extradition
Mutual Legal Assistance: Extradition typically relies on treaties between countries, which outline the legal framework for the process. These treaties establish the types of crimes eligible for extradition, the procedures to follow, and the rights of the individuals involved.
Dual Criminality: This principle requires that the act for which extradition is requested must be a crime in both the requesting and requested countries. This ensures that individuals cannot be extradited for actions that are legal in the country where they are located.
Sovereignty: Each country has the right to refuse extradition requests based on its own laws and policies. Many countries do not extradite their own nationals, opting instead to prosecute them domestically.
The Extradition Process
Requesting Extradition: The country where the crime was committed (the requesting state) submits a formal request to the country where the individual is located (the requested state). This request includes documentation that identifies the individual and outlines the charges against them.
2
Review by the Requested State: The requested state evaluates the extradition request based on its domestic laws and any applicable treaties. This includes assessing whether the alleged crime is recognized as extraditable and whether the request meets legal requirements.
Judicial Review: In many jurisdictions, the extradition request undergoes a judicial review process, where a court may determine whether the extradition should proceed based on the evidence and legal standards.
Decision and Transfer: If the court approves the extradition, the requested state will arrange for the transfer of the individual to the requesting state. This may involve law enforcement agencies from both countries coordinating the logistics of the transfer.
Grounds for Refusal
Countries may refuse extradition requests for several reasons, including:
The risk of torture or inhumane treatment in the requesting country.
The potential for unfair trials or political motivations behind the charges.
The absence of dual criminality, meaning the alleged crime is not recognized in the requested state.
Extradition plays a crucial role in international law enforcement, ensuring that individuals cannot evade justice simply by crossing borders. However, the process is complex and varies significantly between different countries and legal system.
When he applied for the real ID, that’s when he found out he wasn’t a citizen.
Florida DL were not always under Real ID guidelines. It is possible he used his military ID for proof of identity along with household bills for proof of residency. Once the DL was issued he could use that for identification as a U.S. citizen. There is nothing in the article that reads he did not pay property or income taxes. So at least for the latter a SS number would be needed or another form of taxpayer identification. I wonder which it was.
BTW when his NZ passport expired did he ever apply to get that renewed ???
when I IMIGRATED in 1971 the NZ passports were good for 5 years...
In 2015 that was changed to every 10 years but he came here long before that year...
I doubt that the recruiter lied to him
and I doubt that he ‘misunderstood”
This is just an excuse he uses now...
To change the future.
Little Johnnie, did you break that lamp? “No, the cat did it.”
Thats when the chickens came home to roost but he knew all along...
He was told that serving meant he would gain citizenship. The recruiter either outright lied or innocently mislead him. He enlisted at the age of 17. (if I read the GROK summation correctly) I would expect most 17 year olds would trust the assurance of the recruiter. As to the lack of follow up later if he was never told what was needed he probably was of the opinion that since it was automatic nothing need be done on his part.
He was not here illegally when he enlisted. He was an exchange student.
“He was not here illegally when he enlisted. He was an exchange student.”
PLEASE!
He was here illegally. He overstayed his expired visa.
Recruiters do lie. Try doing a search on the very subject.
The property could be in his wifes name ...
Did he have a valid SSN to pay income taxes ???
Did he work and get paid under the table ???
“I doubt that the recruiter lied to him”
My recruiter lied to me.
Exchange students cannot work while they are here under that type of visa...
Enlisting in the Marines is work..
I don’t know. I would presume if such a request was received he dismissed it as an error on the part of NZ.
I meant the recruiter did not say he would become an American citizen along with his separation papers...
“”””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.”””””
Canton committed two crimes that we know of:
1. Registering to Vote
2. Actually voting.
Even in Florida where the election laws are vigorously enforced, this case shows how easy election fraud can be done and how difficult it is to discover and prosecute it.
Another reason we need to SAVE Act to require PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP when Registering to vote!!!!!
I wonder if he ever had an American passport or applied for one...
and I wonder what he used to apply for the Real ID
I took my American passport into the DMV for my Real ID DL
What was it they asked for that exposed him ???
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