Immigrant faces unexpected hurdle on the road to citizenship

Immigrants in Riverside County may have struggled with obtaining their green card at some point in their life. When it comes to applying for citizenship, there are many unpleasant surprises that a person might run into at any given point.

There is one battle for citizenship in particular that has caught the eye of many, especially non-secular groups in America. One woman recently filed an application for her U.S. citizenship. However, there is a portion on the application which asks whether or not the person applying would be willing to bear arms for the U.S. if necessary. Though she could have lied on Q36-38 and said yes, the woman stated “no” and explained her reasons.

Her reasons for marking “no” include being morally against murder or killing other human beings. She reportedly stated that she has stood against things that would cause the unnecessary shedding of blood since she was very young. However, due to the fact that she is Atheist, her application was denied on the basis that her answer to Q36-38 was not backed up by any religious belief. This has sparked huge debates regarding what is or isn’t considered secular in America, along with whether or not that was a legitimate reason to turn down her application.

There are many different surprise hurdles like this that can affect how long it takes an immigrant to receive their green card. If you are facing similar struggles or anticipate any issues, you may wish to seek out an attorney.

Source: News Observer, “California resident applying for U.S. citizenship denied because she is an atheist,” Evan Bleier, Feb. 28, 201