Duckworth to DHS: Allow Deported Veterans to Attend Citizenship Interviews

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today wrote to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging immediate action to establish clear policies that allow deported Veterans to attend their citizenship interviews. Duckworth also called out DHS for ignoring a letter she sent last year demanding U.S Marine Veteran Roman Sabal—who served for six years and received an honorable discharge after attaining the rank of sergeant—be allowed to re-enter the country to attend his citizenship interview after he was denied advance parole. Sabal, who was denied advance parole last year, missed his prearranged naturalization interview and remains separated from his family in the U.S.

“Veterans should not have to waste valuable time and money traveling to a port of entry to then have to cross their fingers and hope that the agency that approved and prescheduled their citizenship interview will also grant them parole to attend said interview,” Duckworth wrote. “Sergeant Sabal and other Veterans who complete the naturalization application for citizenship must be allowed to finish the final steps of the naturalization process.”

“As a United States Senator and Army Veteran, I urge you to use full discretion when considering deported Veterans parole applications to attend citizenship interviews,” Duckworth continued. “We owe noncitizens who risk their lives to serve the United States full support and assistance in attaining citizenship.”

Duckworth introduced legislation yesterday to help deported Veterans gain citizenship by ensuring that deported Veterans who have successfully completed the preliminary naturalization process, like Roman Sabal, can attend their citizenship interview at a port of entry, embassy or consulate without navigating the complex process of advance parole.

She also re-introduced three bills last year to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers. Her proposals—the Veterans Visa and Protection Act, HOPE Act and I-VETS Act—would prohibit the deportation of Veterans who are not violent offenders, give legal permanent residents a path to citizenship through military service and strengthen VA healthcare services for Veterans.