CASE · Clearance Adjudication Search EngineCASE

Loading case…

ISCR Case 24-01118 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 24-01118

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

Case Profile
Decision Date5/7/2025
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Mark W. Harvey
Government Counsel: Andrew H. Henderson
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 48-year-old commercial truck driver who sought a security clearance to resume work as a linguist or interpreter. The Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guideline F (financial considerations) and Guideline B (foreign influence). The core allegations included the applicant's significant credit card debt and his familial ties to individuals residing in Iraq, including parents and siblings who were employed by the Iraqi government.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to the financial allegations, including a charged-off credit card account totaling over $14,000, and provided evidence of efforts to address his debts. He also acknowledged his family connections in Iraq, including his parents and siblings, some of whom were government employees. The applicant argued that he had previously held a top-secret clearance while maintaining these family ties, suggesting that his situation had not changed significantly since then.
The administrative judge ruled that the financial concerns were mitigated due to the applicant's efforts to manage his debts, but the foreign influence concerns were not mitigated. The judge noted the ongoing instability and security risks associated with Iraq, including threats to U.S. citizens and the applicant's close ties to individuals in a country with significant security issues. Consequently, the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information was denied.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline BForeign Influence · Against Applicant
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
Finding similar decisions…

Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01118

deniedMay 7, 2025· Hon. Mark W. Harvey· hearing

Summary

A 48-year-old commercial truck driver was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant admitted to $29,516 in charged-off credit card debts, which were considered a disqualifying financial condition. While he demonstrated efforts to mitigate these financial issues, these efforts were not sufficient to overcome the overall security concerns.

The primary reason for denial stemmed from significant foreign influence concerns. The applicant has close family members, including parents and siblings, residing in Iraq. These ties were identified as creating a heightened risk of foreign influence and coercion, aligning with disqualifying conditions related to foreign connections.

Despite some mitigating conditions applied for his financial efforts, the close family ties to Iraq were deemed an unmitigated security risk. Consequently, the applicant's security clearance was denied.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated good faith efforts to repay debts and established a meaningful track record of financial responsibility.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedHistory of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
AG ¶ 7(a)appliedContact with Foreign Family Members
AG ¶ 7(b)appliedConnections to a Foreign Government

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Debts
AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedCircumstances Beyond ControlThe circumstances beyond his control were not recent and did not significantly affect his current finances.

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedOct 2, 2024
Answer filedNov 7, 2024
Hearing heldFeb 21, 2025
Decision dateMay 7, 2025

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Considerations Under Guideline F
Foreign Influence Concerns Due to Family Ties in Iraq
Impact of Geopolitical Conditions on Security Clearance Decisions

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

Full decision

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