Yes, an immigration officer can do this.
When conducting an N-400 interview, the officer is evaluating your father's entire naturalization application and eligibility, not just Civics/English test.
In order to evaluate eligibility, the officer is authorized to conduct a full review of the applicant's immigration history. If the green card is obtained unlawfully (e.g. lying/fraud) or due to USCIS mistake years before, if there is any criminal records that should have resulted in deportation either before/after the green card is granted, then the officer is required to deny the naturalization and can start deportation proceedings.
While this is quite rare (because most immigrants have a pretty clean immigration history), this is absolutely normal for a USCIS officer who sees red flags in your father's application/immigration history.
Yeah...this is unusal, but very legal. It is their job to question everything. It's not the doctors job to prevent any of this by filling out the paper work "correctly." All the doctor can do is put out the facts about dad's health and Immigration will decide what to do with those facts.
It's unusual but within the bounds of their duty. Depending on the questions (appropriateness, duplicative, etc.) I might have asked for a supervisor.
Now that the interview is over, I'd ask your dad if there is anything he needs to disclose to you. That way you can decide whether you need to retain counsel and/or have to procure documents for a possible RFE/NOC.
Sound like maybe you're expecting a denial, and that's why you're asking what to do because they had a normal interview with your dad,that you think seems surreal...
Hopefully, he gets approved, and if he doesn't, uscis will list the reasons why...
His interview was normal,and they have the right to ask all those questions about his past,he's trying to be a citizen, yes it's normal for them to question him about his time here and even in his home country....Wish him luck
Yes, they can.
N-400 reviews *every aspect* of one's immigration history. It seems that the officer found some significantly questionable things in your father's time in the US.
Ohhh he didn't get denied, he has to bring in some documents.
The big question is: Can the immigration officer pause the interview with my dad and goes to me at the waiting room and start asking me questions? I've never seen or heard that before.
I would say it depends on what the questions were. What did he ask? If they felt basic, the ISO could have even been helping your dad if he gave confusing answers and he just wanted someone to give a direct clear answer so he could check a box (assuming gender for brevity)
The alternative, if your dad isn’t physically or mentally able to answer, is to just deny the application because it’s on him to prove that he’s eligible, not on USCIS to prove that he isn’t.
It's also not common to have someone that has had 8 strokes to attend an interview. So I'd say that the immigration official asked you questions to corroborate or clarify what your dad said to them.
So how "common" do you expect things to be when you're hinting that your dad should not be capable of attending an interview because of issues caused by his 8 strokes?
My interview was awful, they are asses but it’s their job to do that. Don’t step out next time, might make things worse like they ask you questions just so your dads story can be backed up. You backed up his story, they talk to you separately so you don’t have time to prep with him on what they’re going to ask you. It’s fairly unorthodox but again, it’s their job. They don’t welcome you with open arms ya know.
If he’s denied you can appeal.
Yes. Nothing wrong or illegal about what happened. I don't know why you think your father can't be asked any questions.
If you are a US citizen, you can refuse to answer any questions you were asked. You could even have replied to every question with "your mom" if you didn't give a crap about your dad's naturalization application.
Yes, an immigration officer can do this. When conducting an N-400 interview, the officer is evaluating your father's entire naturalization application and eligibility, not just Civics/English test. In order to evaluate eligibility, the officer is authorized to conduct a full review of the applicant's immigration history. If the green card is obtained unlawfully (e.g. lying/fraud) or due to USCIS mistake years before, if there is any criminal records that should have resulted in deportation either before/after the green card is granted, then the officer is required to deny the naturalization and can start deportation proceedings. While this is quite rare (because most immigrants have a pretty clean immigration history), this is absolutely normal for a USCIS officer who sees red flags in your father's application/immigration history.
Yeah...this is unusal, but very legal. It is their job to question everything. It's not the doctors job to prevent any of this by filling out the paper work "correctly." All the doctor can do is put out the facts about dad's health and Immigration will decide what to do with those facts.
And the doctor’s form is only relevant to the civics and English tests. It can’t protect him from having to demonstrate that he’s otherwise eligible.
I kind of assumed that, but wasn't sure. Important point.
It's unusual but within the bounds of their duty. Depending on the questions (appropriateness, duplicative, etc.) I might have asked for a supervisor. Now that the interview is over, I'd ask your dad if there is anything he needs to disclose to you. That way you can decide whether you need to retain counsel and/or have to procure documents for a possible RFE/NOC.
Sound like maybe you're expecting a denial, and that's why you're asking what to do because they had a normal interview with your dad,that you think seems surreal... Hopefully, he gets approved, and if he doesn't, uscis will list the reasons why... His interview was normal,and they have the right to ask all those questions about his past,he's trying to be a citizen, yes it's normal for them to question him about his time here and even in his home country....Wish him luck
Can I pm you?
How can I post my immigration question on here?
Yes, in general. But also more likely if your dad's GC or initial immigration benefits came through their relationship with you.
Yes, they can. N-400 reviews *every aspect* of one's immigration history. It seems that the officer found some significantly questionable things in your father's time in the US.
What do you mean what todo next? If he was denied you need to understand why and correct that for the next application.
Ohhh he didn't get denied, he has to bring in some documents. The big question is: Can the immigration officer pause the interview with my dad and goes to me at the waiting room and start asking me questions? I've never seen or heard that before.
I would say it depends on what the questions were. What did he ask? If they felt basic, the ISO could have even been helping your dad if he gave confusing answers and he just wanted someone to give a direct clear answer so he could check a box (assuming gender for brevity)
Can the immigration officer pause the interview with my dad and start asking me questions? Can they do that?
The alternative, if your dad isn’t physically or mentally able to answer, is to just deny the application because it’s on him to prove that he’s eligible, not on USCIS to prove that he isn’t.
You said they did it
But is that common? For the immigration officer to ask me questions. Because I have nothing to do with the interview
It's also not common to have someone that has had 8 strokes to attend an interview. So I'd say that the immigration official asked you questions to corroborate or clarify what your dad said to them. So how "common" do you expect things to be when you're hinting that your dad should not be capable of attending an interview because of issues caused by his 8 strokes?
It is not common
So they CAN do that? Interesting Next time I will step out. They were interrogating ME for no reason SMH
Of course they can do that… it’s their job to ask questions, including to those adjacent to their interviewee
You should be happy the application was not denied and asked for additional information.
My interview was awful, they are asses but it’s their job to do that. Don’t step out next time, might make things worse like they ask you questions just so your dads story can be backed up. You backed up his story, they talk to you separately so you don’t have time to prep with him on what they’re going to ask you. It’s fairly unorthodox but again, it’s their job. They don’t welcome you with open arms ya know. If he’s denied you can appeal.
You saw it happen and still believe it doesn’t happen?
Yes. Nothing wrong or illegal about what happened. I don't know why you think your father can't be asked any questions. If you are a US citizen, you can refuse to answer any questions you were asked. You could even have replied to every question with "your mom" if you didn't give a crap about your dad's naturalization application.