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Summary

The applicant, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen and defense contractor, faced security concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to her financial delinquencies and connections to Pakistan, including a husband who is a citizen of Pakistan and a member of a persecuted religious sect. The judge concluded that the applicant failed to mitigate these concerns, resulting in a denial of her security clearance.

Under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations), the Statement of Reasons alleged the following: Applicant’s husband, from whom she is separated, is a citizen of Pakistan and a member of the Ahmadi Muslim sect, which has been persecuted in Pakistan. Applicant has daily contact with her husband regarding the care of their two children (2.a). Applicant’s father, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, has been an employee of the Pakistani government in the United States for at least 28 years. Applicant denies that her father is a dual citizen of Pakistan, and it is not clear from the record that he holds or exercises dual citizenship with Pakistan (2.b). Applicant’s mother is deceased and is buried in Pakistan. Applicant’s stepmother and mother-in-law are Pakistani citizens and reside in the United States (2.c). Applicant has an uncle, a Pakistani citizen, who was residing in Pakistan in 2007, when Applicant and her son traveled to Pakistan and visited him there. In her answer to the SOR, Applicant reported that she had recently learned that her uncle had moved to Canada and was pursuing Canadian citizenship (2.d). Applicant asserts that she is estranged from her father and her stepmother. She has contact and communication with them about once a month (2.e). Applicant’s husband and mother-in-law were granted asylum in the United States based on their Ahmadi Muslim religious beliefs. Applicant’s mother-in-law suffered a stroke in 2003. She has been bedridden since that time and unable to take part in normal family life (2.f). Applicant owes a creditor $3,874 on a delinquent debt in collection status (1.a). Applicant owes a creditor $591 on a delinquent debt in collection status (1.b). Applicant owes a past due amount of $35,763 on a second mortgage of approximately $119,000 on the foreclosed property (1.c).

The judge denied the clearance. The government raised disqualifying conditions F1, B2, B3. The judge applied mitigating conditions F3, B1. The decision turned on the following: The applicant admitted to multiple delinquent debts, including a foreclosed property and two additional debts in collection status; The applicant provided insufficient evidence to demonstrate that she had taken adequate steps to resolve her financial issues; The applicant's connections to Pakistan, including her husband's citizenship and her father's employment with the Pakistani government, raised significant foreign influence concerns.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

• The applicant admitted to multiple delinquent debts, including a foreclosed property and two additional debts in collection status.
• The applicant provided insufficient evidence to demonstrate that she had taken adequate steps to resolve her financial issues.
• The applicant's connections to Pakistan, including her husband's citizenship and her father's employment with the Pakistani government, raised significant foreign influence concerns.

Conditions Referenced

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

• SOR issuedJun 8, 2010
• Answer filedJul 1, 2010Signed and notarized.
• Hearing heldN/AApplicant requested a decision on the record.
• Decision dateJan 31, 2011

Cite For

• Failure to Mitigate Financial Considerations Under Guideline F
• Foreign Influence Concerns Due to Familial Ties to Pakistan
• Insufficient Evidence of Debt Resolution Efforts