Marine Corps veteran Paul Canton will likely be deported soon to his native New Zealand, despite serving in the U.S. military for seven years and building a life in Florida for more than 25 years, Military.com reported Sunday.
His long fight to gain U.S. citizenship appears to be ending. Six years ago his application for citizenship was rejected by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, but his family kept working on his case.
However, his hopes appeared dashed last month when a federal judge rejected his appeal, bringing him one step closer to leaving the place he has called home for over 35 years.
Both Democrat and Republican politicians, especially in Florida, have voiced concerns about his case, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Left with few options, Canton is planning to uproot his life in the U.S. and return to New Zealand, Military.com reported.
Canton was granted a foreign exchange student visa as a youth but overstayed it. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on March 29, 1991, amid Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. He said his recruiter promised him citizenship if he served and was discharged honorably.
Canton built his life in Florida after leaving the Marines in 1998 following a decorated seven-year service. He married his wife, a U.S. citizen, and started a family. But while applying for a new driver's license, Canton learned he had never become an American citizen.
He was not eligible for immigration sponsorship, because he had voted in several elections despite not being a citizen.
Canton explained that he had voted because at the time he believed he was a U.S. citizen and had the right to vote.
Canton's lawyer told Orlando's WFTV Channel 9 that his only path to remaining in the U.S. is for Congress to pass a special naturalization bill or for President Donald Trump to intervene on his behalf.
In recent weeks, Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., has been in contact with Canton about his case.
"My office is aware of Mr. Canton's situation, and we are working with our partners in the administration to determine what options may be available in light of the recent court decisions," Fine said in a statement.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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