Adopted Iranian Woman Faces Deportation After Decades‑Long Citizenship Oversight
Updated (2 articles)
Adoption and Missing Naturalization Process The woman was adopted as a toddler from an Iranian orphanage by a U.S. Air Force veteran, with the adoption finalized in 1975 [1]. Her parents never filed the separate naturalization required at the time, a fact she only discovered when applying for a passport at age 38 [1]. A 1975 lawyer’s letter suggested the matter was “concluded,” reinforcing the mistaken belief she was a citizen [1].
DHS Notice Triggers Removal Proceedings On February 21, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security issued a notice ordering her to appear before an immigration judge in California, claiming she overstayed her visa in March 1974 at age 4 [1]. The agency asserts she is removable despite having no criminal record [1]. A judge postponed the March 4 hearing to the following month and, at her lawyer Emily Howe’s request, allowed a remote appearance to avoid detention at the courthouse [1].
Case Occurs Within Broad Trump Deportation Campaign The proceeding aligns with the Trump administration’s mass‑deportation effort targeting the “worst of the worst,” which sweeps up individuals without criminal histories [1]. The case emerges as the United States expands its naval presence in the Middle East, preparing for possible action against Iran [1]. This broader context intensifies scrutiny of immigration enforcement actions [1].
Religious Groups Warn of Persecution in Iran Hannah Daniel of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Ryan Brown of Open Doors warned that a Christian deportee to Iran could face severe persecution, imprisonment, or death, especially as a convert [1]. Their statements underscore the humanitarian concerns tied to the woman’s potential removal [1].
Legislative Gap Leaves Older Adoptees in Limbo Congress passed a 2000 statute granting automatic citizenship to foreign‑adopted children, but it was not retroactive and excluded those born before February 27, 1983 [1]. The law therefore left older adoptees, like the woman, without a clear path to citizenship [1]. Bipartisan efforts to pass corrective legislation have stalled, leaving the issue unresolved [1].
Timeline
Mar 1974 – The Iranian‑born girl who will later be adopted overstays her U.S. visa at age 4, creating the legal basis for a future removal proceeding [2].
1975 – Her adoption is finalized, but her parents never file the separate naturalization required at the time, leaving her without U.S. citizenship [2].
2000 – Congress passes a statute granting automatic citizenship to foreign‑adopted children, but it is not retroactive and excludes anyone born before Feb 27 1983, sealing the legal gap that now affects her [2].
c. 2016 – Audrey Morris moves from Los Angeles to Denmark at age 9, beginning the residency trajectory that later becomes contested [1].
Dec 30, 2025 – Elon Musk posts on X that deportation should be exempt for people with “8 or above level hotness,” prompting a wave of criticism for focusing on appearance rather than legal merits [1].
Dec 30, 2025 – Danish authorities question Morris’s residency after a visa‑condition violation; she ultimately receives a 10‑year residence permit but is denied Danish citizenship while her mother and brother obtain it [1].
Dec 30, 2025 – Facing a real risk of deportation, Morris prepares contingency plans to return to the United States, which would separate her from her family and long‑term boyfriend [1].
Dec 30, 2025 – Documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate note a potential trip by Musk to Epstein’s private island, adding further scrutiny to Musk’s public remarks [1].
Feb 21, 2026 – The Department of Homeland Security issues a notice ordering the adopted Iranian woman to appear before an immigration judge in California, alleging removability for her 1974 visa overstay [2].
Feb 2026 – The Trump administration’s broad removal campaign intensifies, targeting individuals with no criminal records, while the United States positions its largest fleet of warships in the Middle East in anticipation of possible action against Iran [2].
Feb 2026 – Religious leaders, including Hannah Daniel of the Southern Baptist Convention and Ryan Brown of Open Doors, warn that deporting the woman to Iran could result in severe persecution, imprisonment, or death as a Christian convert [2].
Mar 2026 – A federal judge postpones the woman’s March 4 hearing to the following month and grants a remote appearance, reducing the risk of detention at the courthouse [2].
2026 (ongoing) – Bipartisan efforts to pass corrective legislation that would grant automatic citizenship to older adoptees remain stalled, leaving the woman’s status unresolved [2].
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- https://x.com/realmaddox/status/2005396644477714905 (cited 1 times)