Summary
A 37-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from Jordan, was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline C (Foreign Preference). The applicant's parents are citizens and residents of Jordan, and he sends them between $4,000 and $5,000 annually. He also holds a substantial property interest in Jordan.
Further concerns arose because the applicant used his Jordanian passport for travel to Jordan in 2013, after becoming a U.S. citizen, and continued to use it for convenience. While the applicant presented mitigating evidence, the judge determined it was insufficient to overcome the identified risks.
The denial was based on the applicant's failure to demonstrate he would not face a conflict between his parents' interests and U.S. interests. His substantial property interests in Jordan were found to outweigh his U.S. financial interests, and his frequent contact with his parents in Jordan created a heightened risk of foreign influence.
Why the applicant was denied
- The applicant failed to demonstrate that he would not be placed in a position of choosing between his parents' interests and U.S. interests.
- The applicant's substantial property interests in Jordan outweighed his financial interests in the U.S.
- The applicant's frequent contact with his parents in Jordan created a heightened risk of foreign influence.
Conditions referenced
- AG ¶ 7(a)raisedContact with Foreign Family Members
- AG ¶ 7(b)raisedConnections to a Foreign Government
- AG ¶ 7(e)raisedSubstantial Business or Property Interest in a Foreign Country
- AG ¶ 8(a)rejectedNature of Relationships with Foreign PersonsThe applicant did not establish that it is unlikely he will be placed in a position of having to choose between the interests of his parents and the interests of the U.S.
- AG ¶ 8(b)rejectedNo Conflict of InterestThe applicant's ties to his parents in Jordan created a potential conflict of interest.
- AG ¶ 8(f)rejectedValue or Routine Nature of Foreign InterestsThe applicant's property interests in Jordan were substantial and posed a risk of foreign influence.
Key rule quoted
“The United States has a compelling interest in protecting and safeguarding classified information from any person, organization, or country that is not authorized to have access to it, regardless of whether that person, organization, or country has interests inimical to those of the United States.”
Procedural posture
- SOR issuedSep 27, 2014
- Answer filedNov 20, 2014
- Hearing heldMay 15, 2015
- Decision dateJun 10, 2015
Cite for
- Insufficient Mitigating Evidence Under Guideline B
- Heightened Risk of Foreign Influence Due to Family Ties
- Substantial Property Interests in a Foreign Country as a Disqualifying Factor