Florida veteran served in Gulf War loses citizenship fight, fears deportation

TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida veteran who served in the U.S. Marines during the Persian Gulf War has lost his federal court case in his decade-long fight for U.S. citizenship — and now faces deportation to a country that may no longer claim him.

Paul Canton, a former U.S. Marine who lives in Ocala, was denied legal status by a federal judge, officially ending his years-long legal battle to become an American citizen.

"I feel lost. I relied on the legal system so that they could go ahead and clarify the law and see what we saw,” Canton said.

WATCH: Florida veteran loses federal citizenship case, now fears deportation with nowhere to go

Canton was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. He originally came to the United States legally on a visitor exchange visa when he was a teen. Despite overstaying that visa, he was recruited into the U.S. Marines during the Persian Gulf War era — under what he described to us in 2024 as a “false promise” of citizenship upon honorable discharge.

"I was told, if I got an honorable discharge, then I would get citizenship at the end of my tour, automatically," Canton said.

That promise, he said, never materialized.

"I got out, assumed I had citizenship," Canton said.

Canton went on to marry, have children, work, and build a life in Florida. He has no criminal record. He even voted in U.S. elections — believing he was an American citizen. It wasn't until a routine trip to renew his driver's license that he discovered he was not in the country legally.

According to his immigration attorney, Elizabeth Ricci, Canton's citizenship denial hinges on a U.S. law that grants naturalization to veterans — but only if they actively served during a designated period of hostility. While Canton was recruited during that period, he was not called to duty in the Selective Reserve until two weeks after that designated period of hostility ended, explained Ricci.

"This is an absurd result. And when people think of undocumented immigrants, they really don't think of someone who is blonde and blue-eyed, speaks English fluently, entered the country legally, and served honorably in the US Marines," Ricci said.

Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone and photojournalist Matthew Apthorp first reported on Canton's case in 2024 and took his story to members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. While both acknowledged the unusual nature of his situation, neither offered solutions.

Rep. Kathy Castor said Canton "should be treated like royalty in this country." Rep. Gus Bilirakis said it "sounds like he's done enough to earn the citizenship." Still, no legislative action followed.

Now, Canton is preparing for the possibility of being forced out of the country he served.

"Deportation, there's no other option," Canton said about his future.

"Funds have been set aside to pay the bills. And then my oldest son, he has power of attorney over me, and so he'll be taking over the house and selling it and selling everything in the house," Canton said.

Where Canton would be deported to remains an open and troubling question. When he agreed to serve in the U.S. military, America stripped him of his homeland citizenship — leaving this veteran, widower, and father of two effectively stateless.

"I don't even have any identification to prove who I am," Canton said.

Despite everything, Canton said his love for America has not changed.

"No, it hasn't. It's just the bureaucracy and the way I just feel kind of betrayed," Canton said.

Ricci said that because Canton illegally voted in U.S. elections, he is ineligible for any immigration benefit. His only options to avoid deportation are for a member of Congress to pass a bill naturalizing him or for the president to intervene.

"I would like to get what I've earned. I'm not asking for anything more," Canton said.

Read more of our coverage of Paul Canton’s citizenship battle here:

• After court turns down Florida veteran fighting for citizenship, he turns to President Biden
• Florida veteran repeatedly denied U.S. citizenship hopeful President-elect Trump can help him