WWII veteran deserves U.S. citizenship

This week I read a news story about 95-year-old Leeland Davidson, a World War II veteran from Centralia, Wash.

You would think if a WWII veteran was in the news, it would probably be a story about his harrowing experience during the war or what he remembers about his time serving his country more than 60 years later.

But what I was shocked to discover is that this man who fought bravely for this country, put his life on the line for this country, left behind the comforts of home for this country, helped ensure our freedom in this country… is actually not even a citizen of this country.

Apparently Davidson was born in 1916 to parents who were U.S. citizens, but he was born in British Columbia, Canada. His parents never registered his birth with the U.S. government and the family just assumed that because his parents were U.S. citizens, Davidson was a citizen, too.

Now, it would be one thing if Davidson had lived his entire 95 years based on the assumption that he was a citizen of the U.S., but he actually tried to check on the status of his citizenship before joining the U.S. Navy and serving in WWII.

At that time, he was told by an inspector at the U.S. Department of Labor, Immigration and Naturalization Service that there wasn’t any problem.

Getting the go-ahead from a government agency, Davidson continued with his enlistment and was shipped overseas to fight and serve in one of the most remembered wars in our country’s history.

After surviving a war that claimed the lives of over 400,000 U.S. soldiers, Davidson returned to what he believed was his country and raised a family, worked and thrived here.

Davidson might have lived his entire life without ever knowing he wasn’t truly a citizen if he hadn’t decided to visit relatives who live in Canada.

Davidson had applied for an enhanced driver’s license that he needed in order to make the trip across the northern border to see his family, but he was turned down when government officials told him he wasn’t a citizen.

Being the kind of person who wants to have things done the right way, Davidson resolved to take care of the matter of his citizenship before he passed away. And for a 95-year-old man, that day could feasibly come sooner rather than later.

But when Davidson tried to pursue the matter, employees at the local passport office told him that, if he pursued the matter, he could be deported or be at risk for losing his Social Security.

So let’s just review: a VETERAN who fought for and risked his life for this country, who tried to verify his citizenship years ago and was told by a representative of the government he had nothing to worry about, is now having to worry that he could be deported or lose his Social Security.

To me, that is beyond appalling.

The least, the very least, this country could do for a man who served so bravely and made a valiant effort to prove he was a citizen years ago is grant him citizenship.

And I was informed by a co-worker that today, if someone wanting to immigrate to the U.S. wants to expedite their approval of citizenship, one way they can do this is to join the military.

This man already joined the military and made sacrifices for this country, so why is he having such a hard time?

On Thursday, I listed to a group of Korean War veterans speak to students at Russellville High School. I listened to their stories of the things they endured while serving their country, and I was touched when several of the high school students came up to them after the presentation and shook their hands and thanked them for their service.

If high school students, teenagers, can figure out that veterans deserve our thanks for the sacrifices they made so that we can now be free, why can’t this country figure out this 95-year-old WWII veteran at least deserves the thanks of being granted citizenship?

I’m hoping the government will realize that this issue is about so much more than just going through all the red tape they deem is necessary in a situation like this.

And I’m hoping they figure this out in time so that this 95-year-old man, of all people, will have the peace of knowing he is a citizen of the country he fought for before it’s too late.

It’s the least he deserves.