United States v. Manzi, 204

• Decision Date: 09 April 1928
• Docket Number: No. 204,204
• Parties: UNITED STATES v. MANZI
• Court: U.S. Supreme Court

276 U.S. 463

48 S.Ct. 328

72 L.Ed. 654

UNITED STATES

v MANZI.

No. 204.

Argued Feb. 23, 1928.

Decided April 9, 1928.

The Attorney General and Mr. W. D. Mitchell, Sol. Gen., of Washington, D. C., for the United States.

Mr. Justice McREYNOLDS delivered the opinion of the Court.

Aniello Manzi filed his declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States October 15, 1913. He did December 19, 1914. On October 4, 1924, his widow Amalia, respondent herein, relying upon her husband's declaration, asked for citizenship. This was granted February 3, 1925, and certificate issued over the objection that her request came too late, more than seven years having passed since the husband made his declaration.

January 9, 1926, the United States began this proceeding by a petition in the District Court for Rhode Island to cancel her certificate upon the ground that it had been illegally procured. That court dismissed the petition and the Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decree. (16 F.(2d) 884.) The single question for our consideration is one of law: Whether it was unnecessary for respondent to declare her intention because her husband had declared his in 1913.

The Solicitor General maintains, and we think rightly, that while a widow may have the benefit of her husband's declaration, she must perfect her citizenship under the restrictions specified for him, including the requirement that request for naturalization must come not more than seven years after such declaration. The intention of Congress was to treat the action of the husband as though taken by the widow herself.

The Act of June 29, 1906, 'to establish a Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, and to provide for a uniform rule for the naturalization of aliens throughout the United States' (34 Stat. 596), definitely prescribes the circumstances under which aliens may be naturalized. Its requirements are much more stringent than those found in former acts.

Section 4, par. 1 (8 USCA § 373), directs that 2 years, at least, prior to his admission, and after he has reached the age of 18 years, the alien shall declare on oath that it is his bona fide intention to become a citizen, and then directs—

'Second. Not less than two years nor more than seven years after he has made such declaration of intention he shall make and file, in duplicate, a petition in writing, signed by the applicant in his own handwriting and duly verified, in which petition such applicant shall state his full name, his place of residence (by street and number, if possible), his occupation, and, if possible, the date and place of his birth; the place from which he emigrated, and the date and place of his arrival in the United States, and, if he entered through a port, the name of the vessel on which he arrived; the time when and the place and name of the court where he declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States; if he is married he shall state the name of his wife and, if possible, the country of her nativity and her place of residence at the time of filing his petition; and if he has children, the name, date, and place of birth and place of residence of each child living at the time of the filing of his petition: Provided, That if he has filed his declaration before the passage of this Act he shall not be required to sign the petition in his own handwriting.' 8 USCA § 379.

'Sixth. When any alien who had declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States dies before he is actually naturalized the widow and minor children of such alien may, by complying with the other provisions of this Act, be naturalized without making any declaration of intention.' 8 USCA § 375.

'Sec. 27. That substantially the following forms shall be used in the proceedings to which they relate ...