Diane Lee’s logic over her U.S. citizenship is just common sense

The KMT lawmaker maintains that since she has been sworn to be loyal to the Republic of China (ROC) as its legislator, she has automatically, according to her knowledge, lost her U.S. citizenship.

Besides, she stresses that she has for a long time been using a non-immigrant visa for entry into the United States, a fact indicating that she no longer has a desire to become a U.S. citizen.

However, opponents argue that the United States does not reject the idea of dual citizenship and that the U.S. immigration law requires that, to complete the legal process, all those who want to give up their U.S. citizenship must first sign a formal document and then receive a certificate from the U.S. State Department. Hence, having failed to do so, Diane must still be considered possessing U.S. citizenship.

Ever since the “green card” issue over the then presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou erupted in Taiwan, many, including even knowledgeable Americans, cannot but feel dwarfed before the U.S. immigration laws, which are so complicated, and in some cases, so against common sense that they have become convenient traps for innocent and decent people.

First of all, it is intriguing to learn that the United States, the strongest nation on earth, can officially accept dual citizenship, which means a person can simultaneously pledge loyalty to the U.S. and another country (or more than one).

True, many countries have done exactly that such as the ROC on Taiwan, not because they like such opportunist as their citizens but because they are small and weak and consider such opportunists as “talents” and hence have no choice but resort to such expedience.

Is the U.S. a weak country? Does the U.S. need such disloyal people so badly that they must tolerate their opportunist behavior?

As common sense dictates, the U.S. government, upon learning that Diane Lee has been sworn in as a member of the ROC Parliament, should have taken the initiative in canceling her citizenship as a suitable penalty to her illicit relationship with another country and at the same time prohibiting her from re-acquiring U.S. citizenship because, with such a dishonest record, who can trust her oath again?

Ms. Lee must have had the above rationale when saying that she believed she had automatically lost her U.S. citizenship upon becoming a ROC legislator, a highest-level popularly elected representative.

If the U.S. does not have the resources to double-check the citizenship of all immigrants to verify which country they are actually loyal to, it should take steps to find out at least those of outstanding and important political figures active in other countries for the sake of its national interest.

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