U.S CITIZENSHIP: Naturalization denied for 35 parking tickets

We once had a client who was denied naturalization for 35 parking tickets. All 35 issued by hospital security. All 35 issued because my client had to rush to the hospital at which he worked to perform emergency surgery to save American lives. Usually, in naturalization interviews, I let my client stand on their own two feet and only intervene when I think a client is doing harm to their case.

For this client, I knew I had to act and take a proactive approach, especially since he was denied naturalization the first time round because the officer simply couldn’t look past the 35 tickets even though parking tickets are not supposed to impact naturalization eligibility. In my client’s first naturalization interview, the officer was not only wrong on the law, but refused to take into account the extenuating circumstances that led to these 35 tickets. I mean, what do you expect from an ER physician whose job is to respond to emergencies? Take the time to park properly and risk a patient’s life? And yet the officer was outraged. On appeal and during our second USCIS interview, I knew I had to be prepared to advocate for my client or risk another denial. The second officer wanted to discuss the parking tickets. She believed his parking tickets were a problem. I was mad that my client even had to appeal, so I fought back. The officer questioned my client’s moral character so in response, I made the argument that the tickets showed his good moral character - the kind of person who drops everything to save American lives. The kind of person we want to naturalize and want in America. My client got his naturalization. Again, time and time again, USCIS shows its inability to think beyond checked boxes. *Source: Jim