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 ...
I think in the current climate the pressure to deport leaves no room to consider difficult or gray area situations like this one. And there doesn’t seem to be any committee looking at gray area cases, maybe because they didn’t think of it, or maybe because they fear that immigration attorneys will try to turn every case into a gray area situation and the whole thing will bog down.
Still, a guy like this seems to be the kind of person we want.
NZ would not have contacted him just like our state dept doesnt contact us if ours expires...
Its up to the citizen of the country to make sure the passport is current...
his first crime was being in the country illegally...
“How did he acquire a Florida state drivers license under the real id regulations.
Florida didn’t implement real ID till 2010.
“How did he pay taxes, have a job, bank, ie. All the normal stuff Americans have to do while proving their background.”
He got a SS number when in the service.
' It is.
But it is not automatic.
You still have to apply and fill out the paperwork.
You get bumped to the front and a lot of things are waved but not the filling out the paperwork and applying bit.
And the reason it is that way is because of choice.
You have to officially say you want to be nationalize as an American Citizen.
Funny how, once again, choice is only about killing a baby and not about things where there really is a choice.
What you stated makes sense which means it will be met with cries of outrage about the danger of illegal immigrants.
The inability of so many here to recognize the difference between someone like Canton and those who are truly undesirable and need immediate deportation is getting tiresome. He is the sort the U.S. should be encouraging to be citizens.
“I meant the recruiter did not say he would become an American citizen along with his separation”
How do you know?
He didnt enlist at 17
He arrived here on a student visa at age 17...
He was in the country be himself...
and he didnt go back home when the visa expired...
No.
I read that years ago.
You either remember wrong or the writer did not know what they were talking about.
It has been true for hundreds of years.
Once again. No.
because saying that he could apply for citizenship earlier than usual would have been quite enough enticement...
“”””He (Canton) is the sort the U.S. should be encouraging to be citizens.””””
So you want ILLEGAL ALIENS to REGISTER TO VOTE and ACTUALLY VOTE?????
You must be Democrat Operative to want illegals like Canton.
“He was told that serving meant he would gain citizenship.”
You were there?
No mention was made of the visa. Which makes me wonder how did he get accepted into the military if all he had was a student visa and not a green card?
“No mention was made of the visa.”
Expired.
“Which makes me wonder how did he get accepted into the military if all he had was a student visa and not a green card?”
Hmm...
That wasnt so 55 years ago
Citizenship has never been automatic for IMMIGRANJTS who enlist in the military...
You still have to apply and go through the process...
BTW when my French ancestors arrived in NYC in 1680 they had to apply for ‘denization’ to become Englishmen...
Until they were denizens they could not buy land in Westchester County...
Oh and there were documents involved
Oh noooez...
Your second question was one I also asked. From what I read on him nothing indicates type of work usually done under the table.
My biggest question though it how did he join the military when he did not have any proof he was a lawful permanent resident AKA green card. Which should have denied his enlistment especially since his student visa had expired at the time.
You stated in an earlier post that you believed the recruiter did not lie. Well that person must have lied if he told Canton he was eligible. I originally thought Canton was 17 at enrollment he was 19 but I can still see someone that age taking the word of a military recruiter especially with the carrot of citizenship being dangled.
He had a Fl DL which was used as his ID to prove eligibility to register to vote.
He got caught when he went to renew his DL and had to upgrade to Real ID.
Back in the 80’s, I got my first DL with a student ID card and a baptismal certificate as my parents had lost my birth cert when I was a child. Neither of these had a photo and DMV didn’t care. Things were very loosey goosey before 9/11 a d there was no internet yet..
I renewed my license on that basis for decades until the rsquired transition to Real ID. By then, I was able to order a birth cert via the internet using the DL I needed to renew.
I am going to take a guess that those French ancestors were Huguenots. So were my husband’s ancestors who settled in New Palz. You might even be distantly related to his family.
His student visa had expired so he couldnt use that as ID anymore
However he would have had a regular DL that he could have used...
Since he was only here as a student for a short time the DL was probably still valid...
.
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