A Florida man says he learned he is not an American citizen after living in the country for over 60 years. He discovered in 2020 when he applied for Social Security retirement benefits.
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Jimmy Klass, 66, was born in Canada to a Canadian and an American father but moved to the U.S. when he was two. Throughout his life, Klass believed he had dual citizenship and went to school, married, had children, paid taxes, and even voted in the U.S. Explaining to WSVN, he says he never questioned his citizen status and served in the Marine Corps without any issues plus was approved to work for the New Jersey State Police at one point, only needing to show his Social Security card and driver’s license.
After applying for Social Security benefits, Klass received a letter questioning his legal status. To fix his situation, Klass formally applied for U.S. citizenship but was denied because he didn’t provide sufficient evidence that his father had lived in the country for at least ten years before his birth—a requirement for citizenship through parental lineage. He also wrote a letter to Senator Marco Rubio’s office, hired an immigration attorney, and enlisted a genealogist who confirmed his father’s long-term presence in the U.S. before his birth.
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Klass says the entire situation has changed his view on America and that if his case isn’t resolved, he is contemplating returning to Canada. Indera Demine, a Fort Myers-based immigration attorney, explained, “For many years, the DMV and different agencies didn’t necessarily communicate with each other.” She suggested that Klass’ situation could reflect a larger, more complex problem where outdated or inconsistent documentation standards have failed to keep up with current requirements.
“For many years, the DMV and different agencies didn’t necessarily communicate with each other. The documentation that you need to renew your driver’s license or for Social Security benefits were not as stringent as they are now.”
