The irony in this story is so thick that you may need a scalpel to cut through it, something that a Northern Virginia doctor may not be able to wield any longer.
Siavash Sobhani was born in the United States, went to school, and practiced medicine here for over thirty years. He is an internist and has degrees from George Washington University, Boston College, and Georgetown Medical School.
Sobhani, who was thinking ahead, applied for a passport in February. His expiration date was June. The passport is needed to travel to Portugal in July for his son’s marriage. It’s not the first time he has renewed his passport. He has done this several times over the years, proving that he is a U.S. Citizen each time.
Imagine his shock, then, when he got a letter from the State Department telling him that his father had been a diplomat at the Iranian Embassy and he should never have received citizenship. He was sent to a website, where he could apply to become a citizen. In an interview with The Washington Post, he expressed his disbelief.
It was a shocking experience for me. I’m a doctor. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve always paid my taxes. I have voted for presidents. I have served my community in Northern Virginia. I put myself and my family in danger while working during COVID-19. It’s shocking to be told, after 61 years, that there was an error and you are no longer a U.S. Citizen.
The same administration which has opened our southern border to millions of illegal aliens and cartels and welcomed them with open arms, is now persecuting an American citizen for a technicality.
Sobhani is now in a state of true limbo. He and his wife are now thinking about retirement. Will his earnings from all those years be counted towards his Social Security benefits, is the first question. Can he still legally practice medicine? Will this nightmare end in time for his son’s marriage?
The letter stated that his citizenship had been revoked due to bureaucratic reasons.
You also had full diplomatic immunity to the jurisdiction of the United States as a household member at the time of birth. You were not born under the jurisdiction of the United States. You did not become a citizen of the United States at birth.
Sobhani became distressed when he began to read the letter. He said, “But they did give it to me.”
You must be careful when dealing with an illogical government for obvious reasons. It is very common for spitefulness to go hand-in-hand with a lack of logic. Sobhani does not want to discuss his situation. He does not want to risk reinstating his citizenship or delay issuing his passport. He has spent over $40,000 in legal fees since the beginning of this situation.
Sobhani, frustrated, told the Post: “I’m still waiting for an Interview, but will I have to wait another year?” What about another three years? “Then I have to wait another 10 years until I can leave the country?”
I am hoping that the impact that I’ve had in caring for our community of Virginians, your constituents, for the past 30 years will have some weight in your decision to intervene on my behalf. I hope the impact of my care for Virginians in the last 30 years, who are your constituents will influence your decision to intervene on my behalf.
Connolly responded and wrote a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. He wrote: “I am sure you can understand how hard it must have been to believe you were an American citizen your whole life only to discover that you weren’t. We respectfully request that this case be expedited in accordance with U.S. law and regulations.”
I hope that this absurdity ends sooner rather than later for Sobhani’s sake and the sake of his family. This administration’s border policies are absurd when compared with the case of this gentleman. It is imperative that his citizenship be immediately restored, as well as all legal fees refunded.
This is not a simple clerical mistake. This is not the time or cost to fix a simple clerical mistake. Somebody at the USIC is stuck in their lower digestive system, and commonsense must quickly override such embarrassing lunacy.
Good Luck Dr. Sobhani; here’s to you toasting your son in July.
