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ISCR Case 25-00181 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 25-00181

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

Case Profile
Decision Date1/28/2026
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Charles C. Hale
Government Counsel: Aubrey M. De Angelis
Case Summary
The applicant in this case sought a security clearance and faced allegations under Guideline B, concerning foreign influence. The Department of Defense (DoD) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) on February 28, 2025, citing security concerns related to the applicant's foreign contacts, which were primarily established during his childhood through travel with his mother, a UK citizen. The applicant responded to the SOR on March 11, 2025, and requested a hearing.
During the hearing held on December 23, 2025, the applicant admitted to having foreign contacts but emphasized that these relationships were no longer relevant, as he had not had direct contact with these individuals for over ten years. He also indicated that any financial ties had been mitigated by transferring control of assets to himself. The administrative judge found that the applicant's longstanding relationships and loyalties in the United States outweighed the concerns regarding foreign influence. The judge concluded that the applicant had met the burden of persuasion to demonstrate that granting him access to classified information was consistent with national interest, resulting in a decision in favor of the applicant.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline BForeign Influence · For Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00181

grantedJan 28, 2026· Hon. Charles C. Hale· hearing

Summary

A 29-year-old applicant was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence). The Statement of Reasons alleged foreign influence due to the applicant's past contacts with non-familial individuals from the United Kingdom.

However, the Administrative Judge found that several mitigating conditions applied. The applicant had not had direct contact with these foreign individuals for over 10 years, significantly reducing the potential for foreign influence. Furthermore, financial ties were mitigated by the transfer of asset control directly to the applicant.

The applicant also demonstrated deep and longstanding relationships within the United States, reinforcing their ties to the U.S. and further mitigating the foreign influence concerns. Based on these factors, the Administrative Judge determined that the security risks were sufficiently mitigated, and eligibility for access to classified information was granted.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant had not had direct contact with foreign individuals for over 10 years.
Financial ties were mitigated by transferring control of assets to the applicant.
The applicant demonstrated deep and longstanding relationships in the United States.

Conditions Referenced

Mitigating

AG ¶ 8(a)appliedThe Nature of the Foreign Contacts Is Such That They Are Unlikely to Pose a Risk to National Security.
AG ¶ 8(b)appliedThe Applicant Has Not Had Contact with Foreign Individuals for a Significant Period of Time.
AG ¶ 8(c)appliedThe Applicant Has Established a Strong Presence and Ties in the United States.
AG ¶ 8(f)appliedThe Applicant Has Taken Steps to Mitigate Any Potential Foreign Influence.

Key Rule Quoted

“I also gave due consideration to the whole-person concept.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedFeb 28, 2025
Answer filedMar 11, 2025
Hearing heldDec 23, 2025
Decision dateJan 28, 2026

Cite For

Mitigation of Foreign Influence Under Guideline B Due to Lack of Recent Contact
Consideration of the Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Decisions
Transfer of Asset Control as a Mitigating Factor for Foreign Influence Concerns.

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 foreign contacts, which were established during his childhood, are no longer relevant due to the significant time elapsed since any direct contact. The applicant successfully mitigated the security concerns associated with these foreign ties, leading to a decision in his favor regarding access to classified information.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Relationship	Country	Response	Disqualifying (¶7)	Mitigating applied (¶8)	Mitigation
1	Security concerns under Guideline B, foreign influence due to Applicant's foreign contacts.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	—	Denied	—	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely (b) deep/longstanding U.S. loyalties; conflict resolves in favor of the U.S. (c) contact so casual and infrequent there is little likelihood of risk (f) foreign interests are minimal and could not be used to influence	Claimed Other

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

Full decision

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