Voter Registration and Selective Service Issues

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immiknow

Registered Users (C)
Hi, first of all thanks to all the people who kindly share their knowledge and thoughts, this kind of positive attitude provides a great support for people who really need it.

Here’s the situation. I filled the N-400 already, and I noticed of two issues:

1)Have you ever registered to vote in any Federal, State or local election in the United States?

2)Are you a male who lived in the United States at any time between your 18th and your 26th birthdays in any status except as a lawful nonimmigrant?

I personally didn’t register for any of those, which is ok. I didn’t qualify for any of those at that time. However, my father signed me for both under my name without my consent right before I turned 21, which is the bad part. So.. now, I’m in the dilemma about whether or not to mention that at the interview. The question clearly say: Have “you” ever…?, and I said no because I personally didn’t, so I really didn’t lie about it. However, on the other side, I was registered by my father to those government agencies, without my permission or authorization. He filled the forms and signed my name on them.

My doubts are:

1)Did I need to say “yes” to those questions in the N-400 application even if I personally didn’t fill, signed or sent those registrations?

2)Should I mention these issues at the interview?

I’m worried about it because I think it may cause a conflict even if I said the truth in the form (N-400) , and even if I didn’t lie about it, it may be seen as doubtful by an officer and it could lead to the denial of my application for something I didn’t do. These issues happened about 10 years ago or more, which means it didn’t happened within the 5 years “statutory period”.

I think that even if apparently my father went against the law by doing that, the fact is that it wasn’t me; and I’m thinking why should I be responsible for something that I didn’t do?.

Please tell me your ideas and thoughts about this. What do you think? What should I do?

Thanks in advance!
 
Although I appreciate the time you took to express your opinion, your response didn't help me at all and it didn't answer my two questions.


But as an additional comment, let me tell you that I strongly believe that each person has to be responsible for their own acts.
 
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Listen up, this is the most valuable advise you will get from anyone on this board:

HIRE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY AND GET A CONSULTATION.
TAKE YOUR FATHER WITH YOU AND DECIDE TOGETHER WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NEXT.

Good luck.
 
immiknow said:
Although I appreciate the time you took to express your opinion, your response didn't help me at all and it didn't answer my two questions.
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It's still an important question. If you father committed a federal offense and fraudulently signed a document in your name, your claim will only have any validity if you pursue legal action against him and file a police report, letting the chips fall where they may.

How long ago did this happen? Why did you not complain earlier?
 
Did you unregister yourself? Some interviewers have been checking voter registration, and you could have problems they see that you're still registered. Even though you didn't register yourself, you're still supposed to unregister yourself once you find out that you're wrongfully registered.

When did you get your green card? Was it any time between your 18th and 26th birthday?
 
These issues happened more or less when I was 19 years old. I didn’t complain earlier, first because I went out of the country, right after those things happened. Now I’m 33 years old, I have been living a little bit more than 5 years here and I really didn’t know I needed to legally complaint about that, or that it was a federal offense, or something like that. I didn’t know until now that I’m applying for the citizenship and I have been reading more about all types of issues. I even didn’t know when I filled the application, otherwise I would take more time to research and know what to do. It’s one of those things that happen in life and you just move on. It happened more than 10 years ago. He is my father, he did something he shouldn’t do, but I didn’t think or knew that I should take a legal action for his mistake.

I got my gc when I was 28. And I haven’t unregister because my thinking has been that since I personally didn’t register, then I’m not responsible to unregister, because I’m not the one who committed a wrong action. However, that’s why I posted my issues in this forum, to get better ideas from people like you. Now I’m having different thoughts about what should I do.

Don’t you think that trying to unregister from services if I personally didn’t register, may incorrectly suggest them that it was me the one who registered, when clearly it wasn’t that way?. What do I need to do to rectify a mistake from another person?. How can I legally prove that I wasn’t the one who register? Do I need to sue my own father??? Would I need to file a police report to prove that??? What would be enough to prove it???

As an additional comment, my father registered me to both voter registration and selective service when I wasn’t even a resident, but a visitor. Now, I understand that a person who register itself or who registers another person in their name to a voter registration is against the law, but what about selective service?. When somebody doesn’t meet the requirements for selective service and they are registered without qualifying is that a federal offense too? Does it have the same penalty as the voter registration?
 
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You need to unregister immediately, and go to your interview with the paper they give you. Sure, your father did it, but to prove this, you will need to show proof that your father did this and hearsay (your word) is not proof. As someone stated above, bringing charges against your father will be sufficient proof, but I will never advise anyone in this world to do that because of citizenship. He is your father. As far as you didnt vote, then its not so bad. Unregister, go with the paper, and gauge the sort of I/O you get for the interview. If it is a nice person, then tell them that your father suffers from slight mental illness and is very patriotic and over zealous, and registered you to vote. If the I/O is a toughie who wont give you the light of day, then dont even bring up your father because then they will ask you to show proof that your father registered you, and most likely your father will have to provide a written affidavit saying he did, and of course with that your father can get into legal trouble. Simply tell the I/O you were young, and didnt know the consequences, show proof that you never voted, and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, they wont give you an approval on the same day, but I believe you will get your citizenship at the end of the day as long as you didnt vote. Good Luck.
 
I know, come elections, and it's a nightmare of every anti-abortionist , a redneck and generally immigrant hating individuals who fume while describing with the shiver how millions of illegals register to vote against their candidates. This, of course, makes me gleefully rub my hands and laugh loudly at other times. The more the rednecks fume the merrier I am :P

On a serious note, though, I simply can't comprehend why would anyone sign up for voter registration knowing about consequences? Why would anyone, including your father, do such thing to you?

It is a serious matter and is never looked upon lightly by courts in charge and you would need a really good counsel to advise you of your options if there are any.


Good luck.
 
immiknow said:
I got my gc when I was 28. And I haven’t unregister because my thinking has been that since I personally didn’t register, then I’m not responsible to unregister, because I’m not the one who committed a wrong action. However, that’s why I posted my issues in this forum, to get better ideas from people like you. Now I’m having different thoughts about what should I do.

Don’t you think that trying to unregister from services if I personally didn’t register, may incorrectly suggest them that it was me the one who registered, when clearly it wasn’t that way?.
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No. Many people have been registered without their knowledge or consent in various circumstances. Sometimes the DMV clerk fills in the registration form for them. Sometimes it's those voter registration enthusiasts who are paid to collect as many registrations as possible -- a few of them will register people with made-up names just to boost their registration numbers and get paid more, or use another source of names such as the phone book. Sometimes it's identity theft; a person pretending to you registers to vote.

Your first step is to contact the voter registration authorities in the state where your father registered you, and find out if you're registered. They may have already deregistered you because it's so long ago. Or maybe your registration was discarded as soon as they got it, because they realized you're not a citizen.

If it turns out that you're not registered, the interviewer almost surely won't find anything about your registration either; so do or say nothing about it in the interview. But if you are registered, you'll need to deregister and get proof from the state that you are no longer registered, and that you never voted. You can get yourself deregistered without having to admit guilt or report your father.
 
It gives me the impression that you guys are focusing more in the Voter Registration. I would like to know why? Is it that registering for Selective Service is not so penalized when you didn’t qualify for it?.

Should I unregister from selective service too? Or only the voter registration?


The problem here is that I already filed the application and I said "No" to both questions without considering external actions. I responded for me and my acts, and there's where the problem is. That apparently you need to respond even for other people's acts or mistakes related to you. What can I say regarding why I answered "No" in the application?
 
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There is nothing wrong with registering for Selective Service. Any citizen or noncitizen can register. In fact, illegal aliens in the 18-26 age range are required to register!

You correct with answering NO to both questions. Maintain the NO answers, but you still need to further protect yourself by finding out if you're registered and deregistering if necessary. Then say or do nothing about it in the interview unless the interviewer accuses you of being registered. Then you would defend yourself by showing that you deregistered and proof that you didn't vote, and state that you didn't register yourself.
 
Jackolantern said:
There is nothing wrong with registering for Selective Service. Any citizen or noncitizen can register. In fact, illegal aliens in the 18-26 age range are required to register!

You correct with answering NO to both questions. Maintain the NO answers, but you still need to further protect yourself by finding out if you're registered and deregistering if necessary. Then say or do nothing about it in the interview unless the interviewer accuses you of being registered. Then you would defend yourself by showing that you deregistered and proof that you didn't vote, and state that you didn't register yourself.
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As far I understood reading about these issues lately, lawful non-immigrants are not required to register to selective service even within 18 to 26 years old, and that was my status back then about 13 or 14 years ago. Which in the other side, doesn't necessarily mean that they cannot register, but simply that they are not required.

But in this particular case, should I unregister from Selective Service too?, or just from Voter Registration?.
 
You can't unregister from Selective Service. And there is nothing wrong with registering if you were not required to register. So don't worry about Selective Service ... but you need to take care of your voter registration.
 
Jackolantern said:
You can't unregister from Selective Service. And there is nothing wrong with registering if you were not required to register. So don't worry about Selective Service ... but you need to take care of your voter registration.
Click to expand...



Ok, let's say I unregister from Voter Registration even if I didn't register myself.

What happens with Selective Service if I can't unregister and I said "No" on the form because I didn't register there myself neither. But I am registered there. If that registration can't be undone, then do I need to bring it up at the interview? There are two reasons why I said no to that question, 1)I didn't register myself and 2)I was not required to register as lawful nonimmigrant. But the simple fact to know that there's a record under my name and probably with a file number or something, even if I didn't register myself or I was not required to register as mentioned in the form's question, is confusing.

The question on the N-400 is as follows:

33.Are you a male who lived in the US at any time between your 18th and 26th birthdays in any status except as lawful nonimmigrant?
 
immiknow said:
What happens with Selective Service if I can't unregister and I said "No" on the form because I didn't register there myself neither. But I am registered there. If that registration can't be undone, then do I need to bring it up at the interview? There are two reasons why I said no to that question, 1)I didn't register myself and 2)I was not required to register as lawful nonimmigrant. But the simple fact to know that there's a record under my name and probably with a file number or something, even if I didn't register myself or I was not required to register as mentioned in the form's question, is confusing.
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Stop worrying about Selective Service! You weren't required to register, and there is nothing wrong if you registered.

The question on the N-400 is as follows:

33.Are you a male who lived in the US at any time between your 18th and 26th birthdays in any status except as lawful nonimmigrant?
Click to expand...

You left out the part that says "If the answer is NO, move on to question 34". So if you always maintained legal nonimmigrant status during that age range (or were outside the US), answer NO and they won't care if you registered for Selective Service or not.

Are you unclear about question 33? Do you think you should have answered YES? Why?
 
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Jackolantern said:
Stop worrying about Selective Service! You weren't required to register, and there is nothing wrong if you registered.

You left out the part that says "If the answer is NO, move on to question 34". So if you always maintained legal nonimmigrant status during that age range (or were outside the US), answer NO and they won't care if you registered for Selective Service or not.

Are you unclear about question 33? Do you think you should have answered YES? Why?
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Don't get me wrong, your opinion has been helpful for me and I appreciate it.

However, let me be a little bit more clear about this.

A)It's been said that if I'm registered in the Voter Registration, I need to unregister, even if I didn't register by myself. Fine, understood. When I get my turn to go to the interview, I'll have to show that I unregistered and never voted. If they ask me why I said "No" at the application, I guess I will have to mention that my father registered me. But if they don't ask me about the Voter Registration I'm not sure if I should or should not bring it up and mention it. Any other thoughts?


B)It's been said that I was not required to register at Selective Service because of the nonimmigrant status, and I'm registered even if I didn't register by myself. And that there's nothing wrong with being registered. Fine, understood. However, since "there is" a registration, even if I didn't submit it and I wasn't required to register, and this registration can't be cancelled, my doub't is if they will see the answer as a lie, the fact that I wrote "No" or not provided the Selective Service Number which actually I don't have and never had in my hands.
 
Answer now: why are you trying to set us up by requesting us for an immigration related advise , all the while ICE is out to get people who provide unauthorized immigration consultation? Why don't you hire a legal counsel and find out of your options and decide together with your dad what you should do next? Are you a rat or a snitch, an uca or what?

Ok, j/k ;)

It all boils down to this:

1) The law
2) Case law/precedent
3) Facts concerning your individual corcumstances
4) Attorney aware of all above
___________________________________________
NET RESULT: Legal advise/options

Next:
You (and preferably together with your dad, since he is involved) make decision how to proceed based on the Net Result.

Nothing more or less can or should be said to you.

Good luck
 
immiknow said:
A)It's been said that if I'm registered in the Voter Registration, I need to unregister, even if I didn't register by myself. Fine, understood. When I get my turn to go to the interview, I'll have to show that I unregistered and never voted. If they ask me why I said "No" at the application, I guess I will have to mention that my father registered me. But if they don't ask me about the Voter Registration I'm not sure if I should or should not bring it up and mention it. Any other thoughts?

B)It's been said that I was not required to register at Selective Service because of the nonimmigrant status, and I'm registered even if I didn't register by myself. And that there's nothing wrong with being registered. Fine, understood. However, since "there is" a registration, even if I didn't submit it and I wasn't required to register, and this registration can't be cancelled, my doub't is if they will see the answer as a lie, the fact that I wrote "No" or not provided the Selective Service Number which actually I don't have and never had in my hands.
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I think you are making it too complicated for everyone whereas this situation deserves simple answers. For both voter and SS registration, there are 4 things you need to look at
a) Were you registered? That's a fact. It does not matter who registered you,
b) Does it matter? For voter registration, it definitely does.
c) Did you know about it? This is how you will mitigate this issue. If you were registered unknowingly but voted ... of course you can not use this defense.
d) If you did not register yourself, up to what extent will you go to prove it. Many a times this issue does not come up if you can take care of point (c) above.

As to how you will explain yourself ... you filled in form N400 based on the best of your knowledge ... then someone you know (or this forum) asked you to play safe and you did a self-check and found this.

All applications can be revised up to the time of interview. A substantial change such as name change might add some extra processing time and they may ask you for documents to prove some aspects of the case. But minor changes may be handled on the spot.

You will be seen as lying if you continue taking a stand counter to the facts after you raise your hand to take the oath (to tell the truth). People regularly make mistakes in filling up N400. You are not the first one to do it, and would not be the last.
 
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