All articles tagged with #naturalization
The French government granted citizenship to George and Amal Clooney, citing their contributions to France's international influence and cultural outreach, despite some internal criticism about fairness and special treatment. The couple, who reside part-time in France, were naturalized under laws favoring those who benefit France's global presence, with Clooney's acting career and Amal's legal work highlighted as reasons.
The French government has granted citizenship to George and Amal Clooney, citing their contributions to France's international influence and cultural outreach, despite some internal concerns about fairness and special treatment. The couple, who live part-time in France, were naturalized under French law and their naturalization was publicly defended by government officials.
Several immigrants in the US have had their citizenship ceremonies canceled at the last minute due to the Trump administration's pause on immigration decisions for high-risk countries, leading to frustration and legal challenges from advocates who see it as xenophobic and unjust.
The US government has paused some naturalization ceremonies for individuals from 19 countries on the Trump administration's travel ban list, including Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan, amid a broader review of immigration benefits following recent security incidents.
The Trump administration announced the reinstatement of a more difficult U.S. citizenship test, with complex questions, starting October 20, as part of broader efforts to tighten legal immigration pathways.
Angola men's basketball coach Pep Claros Canals criticized the practice of naturalizing players after his team's loss to the Dominican Republic at the FIBA World Cup. Canals believes that FIBA should put a stop to this practice to ensure the development of local players. He expressed concern over players representing countries they have no connection to and emphasized the need for each country to develop its own players. The loss prevented Angola from advancing to the second round, while the Dominican Republic, which has no naturalized players but several players born outside the country, topped the group.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson has obtained Chinese citizenship through naturalization and will represent China at the FIBA World Cup. Anderson, the first basketball player to gain Chinese nationality through naturalization, confirmed his participation in a video posted on his Weibo account. The citizenship may also allow him to represent China at the Olympic Games in Paris next year. FIBA allows teams to have one naturalized player on their roster, and Anderson's maternal grandmother was born in Jamaica to a Chinese father and Jamaican mother. Other athletes who have been naturalized include several Brazilians who moved to China for international football.