(a) Naturalization under specified conditions

An alien who is a native, citizen, subject, or denizen of any country, state, or sovereignty with which the United States is at war may, after his loyalty has been fully established upon investigation by the Attorney General, be naturalized as a citizen of the United States if such alien’s application for naturalization shall be pending at the beginning of the state of war and the applicant is otherwise entitled to admission to citizenship.

(b) Procedure

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Terms Used In 8 USC 1442

  • alien: means any person not a citizen or national of the United States. See 8 USC 1101
  • Attorney General: means the Attorney General of the United States. See 8 USC 1101
  • Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
  • naturalization: means the conferring of nationality of a state upon a person after birth, by any means whatsoever. See 8 USC 1101
  • State: includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. See 8 USC 1101
  • United States: except as otherwise specifically herein provided, when used in a geographical sense, means the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. See 8 USC 1101

An alien embraced within this section shall not have his application for naturalization considered or heard except after 90 days’ notice to the Attorney General to be considered at the examination or hearing, and the Attorney General’s objection to such consideration shall cause the application to be continued from time to time for so long as the Attorney General may require.

(c) Exceptions from classification

The Attorney General may, in his discretion, upon investigation fully establishing the loyalty of any alien enemy who did not have an application for naturalization pending at the beginning of the state of war, except such alien enemy from the classification of alien enemy for the purposes of this subchapter, and thereupon such alien shall have the privilege of filing an application for naturalization.

(d) Effect of cessation of hostilities

An alien who is a native, citizen, subject, or denizen of any country, state, or sovereignty with which the United States is at war shall cease to be an alien enemy within the meaning of this section upon the determination by proclamation of the President, or by concurrent resolution of the Congress, that hostilities between the United States and such country, state, or sovereignty have ended.

(e) Apprehension and removal

Nothing contained herein shall be taken or construed to interfere with or prevent the apprehension and removal, consistent with law, of any alien enemy at any time prior to the actual naturalization of such alien.