United States Ninth Circuit

The filing of an application for naturalization does not change an applicant's immigration status from that of an alien to that of a national because, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a person may become a national of the U.S. only through birth or naturalization.

Appellate Information

• Argued 04/07/2003
• Decided 06/23/2003
• Published 06/23/2003

Judges

• GRABER, Circuit Judge., Before SCHROEDER, Chief Judge, and THOMPSON, and GRABER, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Kathryn M. Davis and Ulrike I. Boehm, Latham & Watkins, Los Angeles, CA, for the petitioner;  Jose Luis Perdomo-Padilla, petitioner pro se.


• For Appellees:
  
• Mary Jane Candaux, Office of Immigration Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for the respondent.