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ISCR Case 07-00426 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 07-00426

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date10/29/2007
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Barry M. Sax
Government Counsel: Jennifer I. Goldstein
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 43-year-old Programmer Analyst who was born in Jordan and became a U.S. citizen in 2002. The Statement of Reasons (SOR) raised concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) regarding her family ties in Jordan, specifically her mother and sisters who remained citizens and residents there, and under Guideline C (Foreign Preference) due to her previous dual citizenship and use of a Jordanian passport for travel. The core allegations suggested that these ties could create a risk of foreign influence or divided loyalties.
The applicant admitted to all allegations in the SOR but provided extensive mitigation. She renounced her Jordanian citizenship and surrendered her expired passport, asserting that her ties to the U.S. were strong and deep. She maintained that her family in Jordan did not require her financial support and were not connected to the Jordanian government, thus minimizing any potential for coercion. The applicant emphasized her loyalty to the U.S. and her commitment to national security, supported by positive testimonials from colleagues and her history of responsible conduct.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting her security clearance. The judge concluded that the applicant's strong ties to the U.S., her renunciation of Jordanian citizenship, and her credible assertions of loyalty outweighed the concerns raised by her family connections in Jordan. The judge noted that the applicant had demonstrated a solid record of integrity and maturity, and that the absence of any past security issues further supported the decision to grant her clearance.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline BForeign Influence · For Applicant
- Guideline CForeign Preference · For Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 07-00426

grantedOct 29, 2007· Hon. Barry M. Sax· hearing

Summary

A 43-year-old Programmer Analyst, born in Jordan and a U.S. citizen since 2002, was evaluated for a security clearance under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline C (Foreign Preference). Concerns arose due to her family ties in Jordan, including her 69-year-old mother and sisters, all citizens and residents of Jordan. Additionally, the applicant had traveled to Jordan in December 2000, prior to becoming a U.S. citizen, and again in December 2003, after naturalization.

Further issues included her dual U.S.-Jordanian citizenship, acquired by birth, and her use of a Jordanian passport for travel to Jordan after becoming a U.S. citizen. These facts raised disqualifying conditions under both guidelines.

However, the judge applied several mitigating conditions. The applicant renounced her Jordanian citizenship and surrendered her expired Jordanian passport. She demonstrated strong ties to the U.S. and a commitment to national security, with no evidence of divided loyalties or conflict of interest. Based on these factors, the security clearance was GRANTED.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant renounced her Jordanian citizenship and surrendered her expired Jordanian passport.
She demonstrated strong ties to the U.S. and a commitment to national security.
The judge found no evidence of divided loyalties or conflict of interest.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

DC 8(a)raisedContact with Foreign Family Members
DC 10(a)raisedExercise of Foreign Citizenship Rights

Mitigating

MC 8(a)appliedNature of Relationships with Foreign Persons
MC 8(b)appliedNo Conflict of Interest Due to Deep Ties in the U.S.
MC 11(a)appliedDual Citizenship Based on Parents' Citizenship
MC 11(b)appliedWillingness to Renounce Dual Citizenship
MC 11(e)appliedPassport Has Been Destroyed or Invalidated

Key Rule Quoted

“The ultimate determination of whether the granting or continuing of eligibility for a security clearance is clearly consistent with the interests of national security must be an overall common sense determination based upon careful consideration of the following, each of which is to be evaluated in the context of the whole person.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJul 11, 2007
Answer filedJul 25, 2007
Hearing heldOct 4, 2007
Decision dateOct 29, 2007

Cite For

Mitigation of Foreign Influence Concerns Due to Family Ties
Consideration of Dual Citizenship and Renunciation
Whole Person Analysis in Security Clearance Determinations

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline B (Foreign Influence) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant's ties to her family in Jordan, including her mother and sisters, did not pose a security risk. The applicant's travel to Jordan was primarily to visit her elderly mother, and there were no apparent security problems despite the presence of terrorist elements in the country. The decision ultimately granted the applicant a security clearance, indicating that the relationships were adequately mitigated.

U.S. ties the decision noted: Naturalized U.S. Citizen

¶	Allegation	Finding	Relationship	Country	Response	Disqualifying (¶7)	Mitigating applied (¶8)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant’s 69 year old mother is a citizen and resident of Jordan.	For Applicant	Parent in Foreign Country Immediate Family	Jordan LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	—	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely	Claimed Other
1.b	Applicant’s sisters are citizens and residents of Jordan.	For Applicant	Sibling in Foreign Country Immediate Family	Jordan LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	—	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely	Claimed Other
1.c	Applicant traveled to Jordan from December 26, 2000 to January 8, 2001, at which time she was not yet a U.S. citizen.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	Jordan LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	—	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely	Claimed Other
1.h	Applicant traveled to Jordan from December 26, 2003 to January 8, 2004, during which period she was a U.S. citizen.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	Jordan LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	—	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely	Claimed Other

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline B). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline C (Foreign Preference) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The applicant held dual U.S.-Jordanian citizenship by birth and used her Jordanian passport to travel to Jordan after becoming a U.S. citizen. The judge found that the applicant's actions were adequately mitigated, leading to a favorable decision regarding her security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶10)	Mitigating applied (¶11)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant held dual U.S.-Jordanian citizenship, by virtue of her birth in that country to Jordanian citizens.	For Applicant	Foreign Citizenship Acquisition or Application	Admitted	—	(g) civil employment or military service was authorized under U.S. law or otherwise consented to as required by U.S. law	Documented Other
2.b	Applicant used her Jordanian passport to travel to Jordan after becoming a U.S. citizen.	For Applicant	Foreign Passport Possession or Use	Admitted	—	(g) civil employment or military service was authorized under U.S. law or otherwise consented to as required by U.S. law	Documented Other

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline C). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.