United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Morena, 245 U.S. 392 (1918)

United States v. Morena

No. 523

Argued December 13, 1917

Decided January 7, 1918

245 U.S. 392

Syllabus

The second proviso in § 8 of the Naturalization Act of June 29, 1906, c. 3592, 34 Stat. 596, permitting naturalization of aliens who cannot speak English if, before the passage of that act, they have made declarations of intention in conformity with prior laws, has no bearing on the relation of the seven-year limitation prescribed by § 4, subdivision second, of the act, to declarations filed before its passage. Giving effect to the purpose expressed in the title of the Naturalization Act of June 29, 1906, "to provide for a uniform rule for the naturalization of aliens throughout the United States," the requirement of subdivision second of § 4 that the petition for citizenship shall be filed not more than seven years after the alien has made his declaration of intention is held applicable to declarations made

Page 245 U. S. 393

before the act was passed; the enactment does not invalidate such old declarations, but the time runs upon them from its date. So held where the declaration was made December 15, 1905, and the petition for citizenship was not filed until December 21, 1914.

The case is stated in the opinion.