Woman proud of being American -- until told she's not

Chicago Tribune ^ | 6 Feb 10 | Antonio Olivo

[SkyPilot]

_{Angela Boneva, right, with her son Ryan Petrov, 7; her father, Steve Boneff, left; and her husband, Gueorgui Petrov.}

Angela Boneva always thought she was an American, never imagining that valued piece of her identity could be stripped away.

Because her father was born in Indiana, an American consulate in Bulgaria bestowed U.S. citizenship on Boneva when she was growing up there in 1981. It granted Boneva privileges unavailable to her Bulgarian friends, allowing her to visit relatives in Chicago and then to move to the area in 1997.

Boneva, now 34 and a married mother, settled into a quiet American lifestyle in Niles — until the day a letter arrived from the U.S. State Department, upending her world. In six indifferently worded paragraphs it said, in effect: There was a mistake. You're not an American.

Now worried she could be deported, Boneva has been struggling for seven years to solve her predicament, a journey of frustration that spotlights why a U.S. passport is such a treasured ticket for so many around the world.

"I thought it was some kind of joke," said Boneva, inside her family's modest condominium, where her U.S.-born son Ryan, 7, plays video games on the living-room TV. "I grew up believing I'm an American, and now they want to take that away? This is like a bad dream."

[SkyPilot]

I say let her stay.

Look who gets to stay in the US.

Obama's Kenyan aunt Zeituni Onyango allowed to stay in U.S. while deportation battle continues

How about we deport her back to Kenya? It isn't like she has a job.

There are some other people I also could suggest we deport.

[wiggen]

Did i miss the story? She had her closed door hearing last week and nothing yet?

[End Times Sentinel]

Yow!!! She can be an American ANY day in my book.

I’m going to peruse some Bulgarian brides.

[Sparky1776]

I always thought you were American if one of your parents was a citizen, regardless of where you were born, no?

BTW, not guilty.

[Thunder90]

She should contact her Representative so an amendment can be added to any bill to make her a citizen...

[Lockbar]

[pepsi_junkie]

It seems to me that one of the greatest cold war propaganda successes we had in the west was the characterization of the women of Eastern Europe as mannish crones. Clearly false, in fact glaringly so. But it probably kept at least some from defecting to the Soviets!

[justlurking]

I always thought you were American if one of your parents was a citizen, regardless of where you were born, no?

No, that's not the case. If you read the article, that's the issue: her father had not been residing in the US for the required 10 years when she was born.

It has since been reduced to 5 years. But, the State Department is telling her that doesn't matter.

This story is eerily similar to that of a well-known elected official. One has to wonder if the State Department would pursue his case with as much zeal.

[goldstategop]

Her local Congresscritter can introduce a private bill to make a citizen. The State Department should be overruled.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[Westbrook]

Yes, of course.

Let’s deport useful, productive, America-loving people and give visas to America-hating Mohammedan killers and give amnesty to Latino rapists, murderers, and drug smugglers.

Makes perfect sense, if you’re from the State Dept.

[goldstategop]

I think what bureaucrats did to her is a shame. Hopefully some good will come out of it.

I vote NOT GUILTY!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[bgill]

Chicago will be running this one next time for POTUS.

[goldstategop]

Her husband, who is a US citizen, can sponsor his wife. But congressional action is faster. She shouldn't be punished for believing she was an American citizen.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[driftdiver]

“I always thought you were American if one of your parents was a citizen, regardless of where you were born, no?”

Depends on when but yes within the last 20-30 years thats what I thought.

[Abathar]

I would certainly say let her stay. Nice looking family, their home looks well kept, these are the types of people we want to keep here.

[driftdiver]

But BO is working hard to give citizenship to 12 million illegals.

[howlinhound]

I declare her Not Guilty as well.

It appears her mistake was not sneaking over the border the day before her son was born.

[Azeem]

Just your sort of thing.

[Above My Pay Grade]

I think she should be allowed to stay and granted citizenship.

That said, what I don’t understand is why her husband’s citizenship was not revoked. If her husband received his citizenship based upon her sponsorship of him, and it turns out she was not a really citizen, shouldn’t he lose his citizenship too?

[The Sons of Liberty]

Woman proud of being American -- until told she's not

Her father was born in Indiana, yet she isn't a citizen? If this is true, then Hussein is not a American citizen!

I'll keep her any day over Hussein - she loves America!