Voting Before Naturalization Can Cause you Problems

Bobsmyth said:
The OP was asked about voting during his I-485 interview.
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So he disclosed it. The issue now is that whether iilegal voting is inadmissible or not. There are precendent case law that says deportable but still admisisble offense should not prevent the Adjustment of status applicant from getting the GC and once GC granted, it can not be used as basis for deportation anymore.

If inadmissibility include viting as noncitizen, it is big asurprise the I-485
does not ask for it and leave it upo to the interview to ask (most EB GC
do not go thru interview)
 
I am so glad to be taking to you guys because I could remember so many things. You have to see the registration form from IL. When I went in Jan 2000 to get my state ID, I remember I had to show them my social security card and my only ID them, my passport, which is green and clearly state my country of citizenship, but yet, they still gave me the form to sign with my ID forms. when I signed the paper I had never known that it was for voting because I did not even read it, I only wanted my state ID. when they mailed it to me, I thought I had to vote, it never crossed my mind that I was not eligible. All of this could have been avoided if the stupid person at DMV gave me my ID and nothing else.
 
Bobsmyth said:
Ironically, the I-485 application does not ask about ever having voted.
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I can promise you that I was asked this question when interviewed for GC even if the application does not have it. I even remember the officer look when I answered this question. She even gave me a very bad warning and said that I am not suppose to vote. That was my GC interview and I would remember everything especially when something goes wrong. How can I prove this, I don't know........But it is the truth of the truth.
 
newapplicant said:
Just quick Q.
Did you immediately de register after that warning.That may make a difference because that may show you had the remorse and and it might have been commited 'Un intenional' etc.etc If yes,hopefully,it may be helpful along the case,may be to some extent.
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Note: I am not a lawyer and I am just a lay man without any legal knwledge.!
Read the above STRICTLY at your own risk.
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I thought I had to register in every election to be able to vote and since I did not register after that (2000) it has never crossed my mind that I was still registered. I would have never voted if I had known that I was not eligible. The last thing I want to do is to jeopardize my chances. I did not gain anything from voting, so why would I do it knowingly or intentionally?
For you guys who were born here and went to school here, heard of elections all their lives, you are well aware of the process and what you need to do and all that, I came here when I was 25 and I did not speak English at all plus I had never voted in my own country, all this was new to me and I was making minimum wage to even hire people to fill out my forms or give me heads-up about things. I lived isolated from my own people who could have helped me somehow. You cannot look at this from your perspective, you need to know my circumstances and the way I lived my first years in the US.
 
maslouj said:
I did not gain anything from voting, so why would I do it knowingly or intentionally?
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What do you mean you did not gain anything from voting? You contributed to the result of an election. That is a "gain" that motivates people to apply for citizenship and line up for hours on election day. It is a gain that other people throughout history have lost or risked their lives for.
 
I did not mean anything wrong with what I said. it may came out wrong but all what I meant is that things may look and sound obvious to US Born but not to immigrants with specific circumstances. I am sorry if this sounded harsh.
Concerning my statement of not gaining anything from voting, what I really meant is I did not gain anything from claiming to be a US citizen (which is what I am accused of now) some people claims to be US citizens to get jobs and benefits 9food stamps, grants...) not me. That was the only time I unknowingly signed a form that had a disclaimer in the bottom, which I had never read or seem before I signed the form and now I am in deep s...because of it.
I am gathering as much information as I can and I am so greatful and thankful for all the help and advice I recieve from you guys.
 
Do you think it is a good idea to consult many lawyers? I am so confused now with what everyone tells me.
I am afraid that I may be doing more than I am suppose to and this will look like I am trying to cover for what I did and make me look like a criminal, or do less than I am suppose to and get deported. I am so confused now.
 
Huracan said:
Has this article come up in this thread? It is not entirely the same case but it has a voting angle. There are many other articles related to this woman.

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/23/local/me-adelanto23
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Yes, that's the councilwoman I was referring to in earlier post. She had an immigration hearing Sept 17 2007, but I haven't heard what the outcome was or if she's still fighting the deportation.

Since then the state department has passed a final rule that would allow someone who was a LPR under the age of 16 and whose parents are US citizens a inadmissibility waiver if they voted .
 
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Huracan said:
Has this article come up in this thread? It is not entirely the same case but it has a voting angle. There are many other articles related to this woman.

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/23/local/me-adelanto23
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See, I read this case before and I think this woman had benifited from claiming to be a US Citizen. I did not. when I found out that I was not supposed to vote, I stoped but I was never told to remove my name from the registry and I had never thought it will hunt me like this.
I did not even know about the selective services until I decided to go to school in 2006 when I applied for financial aid. Ignorance is not a defense but poor bureaucratic system that allow things like this to happen to immigrants especially in thier first years in the US is not helping either.
If the person at DMV had told me something like "wait! your passport is green and it says you are.....(not US Citizen) you cannot register to vote" this could have been avoided. I was not aware of this and all what I can hope for is that the IO would see that I am a good person (I cannot say" a good citizen), forgives my ignorance and approve my application. I promise you if I am approved, I will write to Mr.President Obama about my case and ask for the law to change
1- make it mandatory to show proof of citizenship during regisration (Birth Certificate, US Passport or Naturalization Certificate)
2- Educate employees of DMV or whatever places we can register to vote about this
3- Make it clear in every form when the person has to clearly write or mark that he is a US citizen along with proof. (just take a look at IL Registration form)
4- If anyone who had claimed to be a US citizen to benifit from governoment jobs, grants or any type of benifits must be held responsible. Those who unknowingly did by registering to vote or even voted (only once and in thier first years when they came to the US) need to pay a fine and still be granted citizenship.
I think this is fair to everyone.
 
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maslouj said:
.....If the person at DMV had told me something like "wait! your passport is green and it says you are.....(not US Citizen) you cannot register to vote" this could have been avoided. I was not aware of this and all what I can hope for is that the IO would see that I am a good person (I cannot say" a good citizen), forgives my ignorance and approve my application. I promise you if I am approved, I will write to Mr.President Obama about my case and ask for the law to change
1- make it mandatory to show proof of citizenship during regisration (Birth Certificate, US Passport or Naturalization Certificate)
2- Educate employees of DMV or whatever places we can register to vote about this
3- Make it clear in every form when the person has to clearly write or mark that he is a US citizen along with proof. (just take a look at IL Registration form)
4- If anyone who had claimed to be a US citizen to benifit from governoment jobs, grants or any type of benifits must be held responsible. Those who unknowingly did by registering to vote or even voted (only once and in thier first years when they came to the US) need to pay a fine and still be granted citizenship.
I think this is fair to everyone.
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Do you know some state legislators are fighting to make sure citizens in their states don't have to show ID when they vote ?

And as far as DMV is concerned, you must not have heard about their reputation.
 
maslouj said:
1- make it mandatory to show proof of citizenship during regisration (Birth Certificate, US Passport or Naturalization Certificate)
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This has been proposed by some Republicans and opposed by Democrats as just another way to limit poor and uneducated citizens from voting (for the Democratic Party). Many Americans don't have a passport because they've never left the country and getting a birth certificate, if you lost the original, requires effort...actually, I don't know what you have to do to get a replacement. It seems like a cure (limiting voting access) that's worse than the disease (prevent the occasional person from voting by mistake).
 
I believe there is a rule that everyone know: a person, who is an immigrant (temporary resident or permanent resident) or non-immigrant (visa holder) or illegal alien, cannot vote in presidential elections in any country unless s/he is a citizen of that country.

Presidential elections:

USA - don't allow aliens or immigrants to vote (except local elections, municipal elections, state elections)

Europe - same thing, but all EU Europeans can vote for EU elections. German cannot vote in UK elections, French elections, etc??

Any country - same thing?
 
USGC485 said:
I believe there is a rule that everyone know: a person, who is an immigrant (temporary resident or permanent resident) or non-immigrant (visa holder) or illegal alien, cannot vote in presidential elections in any country unless s/he is a citizen of that country.

Presidential elections:

USA - don't allow aliens or immigrants to vote (except local elections, municipal elections, state elections)

Europe - same thing, but all EU Europeans can vote for EU elections. German cannot vote in UK elections, French elections, etc??

Any country - same thing?
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I know I know.....as much as this sounds obvious and logical, I still made the mistake and voted. If you know me and how I grew up, you would not be so surprised by this. I made more mistakes than anyone on earth due to ignorance and poor judgments. I really feel that if this what I have to pay for voting, then be it....deep in my heart and God is my witness, I did not do it on purpose or for any reason other than when I received the registration card, I thought I had to go and vote. Maybe some mistakes are just unforgivable and I would live with it for all my life......
 
maslouj said:
Do you think it is a good idea to consult many lawyers? I am so confused now with what everyone tells me.
.
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It is good thing if lawyers and we here don't know what they are talking about. USCIS IOs may not know what they do either. So they may just let you off.

Since you are alsreayd assuming the worst and get ready for that, anything unpected can only be better
 
USGC485 said:
I believe there is a rule that everyone know: a person, who is an immigrant (temporary resident or permanent resident) or non-immigrant (visa holder) or illegal alien, cannot vote in presidential elections in any country unless s/he is a citizen of that country.
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Agreed. I understand the cases where someone mistakenly thought they were a citizen because of complex child derivative citizenship rules -- and apparently there is a waiver for these types of situations. I also understand someone not speaking English accidentally registering to vote because they were just handed the form at the DMV. But to then take time off work to go stand in line and actually vote? Even if you got the voting notice in the mail, why? What did the person think would happen if they then didn't vote? I'm not saying that it wasn't a mistake, just a super rare mistake that isn't really due to negligent conduct on the part of the DMV (e.g., the voting, not the registration error) or USCIS.
 
sh1996 said:
Agreed. I understand the cases where someone mistakenly thought they were a citizen because of complex child derivative citizenship rules -- and apparently there is a waiver for these types of situations. I also understand someone not speaking English accidentally registering to vote because they were just handed the form at the DMV. But to then take time off work to go stand in line and actually vote? Even if you got the voting notice in the mail, why? What did the person think would happen if they then didn't vote? I'm not saying that it wasn't a mistake, just a super rare mistake that isn't really due to negligent conduct on the part of the DMV (e.g., the voting, not the registration error) or USCIS.
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I agree with you at 100% that the voting part is a bigger issue and inexcusable no matter how I explain it. As I said, sometimes, it may be very hard to prove your innocence in paper or logically, but deep in my heart I know that I did not do it knowingly and if I had known I would have avoided all this from happening.
I am only hoping that my good records and the fact that I did that only once and when I knew I was not supposed to, I never done it again and above all, God will be on my side. Maybe this happened for a reason and that my destiny is to be somewhere else.....
 
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