If your grand-mother was an Italian immigrant, it does not matter when she arrived, when she was married or when her Italian husband naturalized. Italian immigrant women were not affected by the US Cable Act of 1922 and were never naturalized along with their husbands.
The US Cable Act of 1922 applied to American women ONLY who lost their US Citizenship when they married foreign men.
US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
Ah, but it did. From 1955 until 1922, women were naturalized with their husbands. The law specifically pertaining to American-born women began in 1907. The following is a quote from the National Archives website. Take particular note of the fourth sentence.
New laws of the mid-1800s opened an era when a woman's ability to naturalize became dependent upon her marital status. The act of February 10, 1855, was designed to benefit immigrant women. Under that act, "[a]ny woman who is now or may hereafter be married to a citizen of the United States, and who might herself be lawfully naturalized, shall be deemed a citizen." Thus alien women generally became U.S. citizens by marriage to a U.S. citizen or through an alien husband's naturalization. The only women who did not derive citizenship by marriage under this law were those racially ineligible for naturalization and, since 1917, those women whose marriage to a U.S. citizen occurred suspiciously soon after her arrest for prostitution. The connection between an immigrant woman's nationality and that of her husband convinced many judges that unless the husband of an alien couple became naturalized, the wife could not become a citizen. While one will find some courts that naturalized the wives of aliens, until 1922 the courts generally held that the alien wife of an alien husband could not herself be naturalized.(3)
New laws of the mid-1800s opened an era when a woman's ability to naturalize became dependent upon her marital status. The act of February 10, 1855, was designed to benefit immigrant women. Under that act, "[a]ny woman who is now or may hereafter be married to a citizen of the United States, and who might herself be lawfully naturalized, shall be deemed a citizen." Thus alien women generally became U.S. citizens by marriage to a U.S. citizen or through an alien husband's naturalization. The only women who did not derive citizenship by marriage under this law were those racially ineligible for naturalization and, since 1917, those women whose marriage to a U.S. citizen occurred suspiciously soon after her arrest for prostitution. The connection between an immigrant woman's nationality and that of her husband convinced many judges that unless the husband of an alien couple became naturalized, the wife could not become a citizen. While one will find some courts that naturalized the wives of aliens, until 1922 the courts generally held that the alien wife of an alien husband could not herself be naturalized.(3)
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
The US Cable Act was changed in 1922, as the USA had no interest in automatically naturalizing non-English speaking Italian women who began to arrive after 1900. Prior to that immigrant women were English speakers, mainly from England and Ireland. The Cable Act does not apply to the majority of Italian immigrant women that arrived in the USA. These would be the majority of our Italian grand-mothers and great-grandmothers. It's not necessary for the majority of Italian-Americans to be concerned about the Cable Act.
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
Yes it does not apply to the majority, but it does apply to many.
And really, that's the whole purpose of understanding the law. It allows those to whom it does apply to make appropriate decisions based on correct historical information.
And the Cable Act did not change in 1922; it was enacted in 1922, allowing American-born women to retain their US citizenship separate from their husbands and for alien women to naturalize on their own behalf.
And really, that's the whole purpose of understanding the law. It allows those to whom it does apply to make appropriate decisions based on correct historical information.
And the Cable Act did not change in 1922; it was enacted in 1922, allowing American-born women to retain their US citizenship separate from their husbands and for alien women to naturalize on their own behalf.
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
My American-born grandmother married my Italian-born grandfather in November 1922. The Cable Act took effect in September 1922, yet my grandmother was notified at some point by the INS that she may have lost her U.S. citizenship! I guess she provided more information (maybe even had to appear at a hearing), and eventually received another letter stating that since she had no intention of giving up her citizenship, she did not.
Interestingly, my grandfather was scheduled to take his U.S. citizenship oath on December 9, 1941. Of course, the Pearl Harbor attack occurred on the 7th, and within a few days, the U.S. was at war with Japan, Germany and Italy. The appointment must have been cancelled, and he didn't end up becoming a citizen until sometime in the 50s.
Interestingly, my grandfather was scheduled to take his U.S. citizenship oath on December 9, 1941. Of course, the Pearl Harbor attack occurred on the 7th, and within a few days, the U.S. was at war with Japan, Germany and Italy. The appointment must have been cancelled, and he didn't end up becoming a citizen until sometime in the 50s.
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
Hi Alphazip, thanks for providing the info about your American born grand-mother who married your Italian-born grand-father. So far we haven't heard from the descendants of any Italian-born grandmothers who were affected by the Cable Act. Of course, there may be a few but most of our Italian born grand-mothers and great-grandmothers were not affected.
Re: US Cable Act NEVER Applied to Italian Women
Alphazip, it seems your grandmother just missed the cutoff. Good for her!!!
The pre-Cable Act laws were particularly demeaning to women, treating them simply as appendages of their husbands. I thought it particularly humiliating that my grandmother had to naturalize to restore the citizenship that was her right by birth.
The early twentieth century saw the rise of suffrage movements and the beginning of more equal treatment for women (including ultimately the right to vote). It's probably not a coincidence that the Cable Act followed the 19th amendment of 1920.
For all those women who who married before 1922 and obtained US citizenship automatically through marriage (either to a US citizen or a naturalized alien), the automatic citizenship probably seemed a bonus, but it didn't affect their lives. It's great, though, that today, with so many people interested in jure sanguinis, Italian courts recognize that automatic citizenship through marriage did not result in a loss of Italian citizenship.
The pre-Cable Act laws were particularly demeaning to women, treating them simply as appendages of their husbands. I thought it particularly humiliating that my grandmother had to naturalize to restore the citizenship that was her right by birth.
The early twentieth century saw the rise of suffrage movements and the beginning of more equal treatment for women (including ultimately the right to vote). It's probably not a coincidence that the Cable Act followed the 19th amendment of 1920.
For all those women who who married before 1922 and obtained US citizenship automatically through marriage (either to a US citizen or a naturalized alien), the automatic citizenship probably seemed a bonus, but it didn't affect their lives. It's great, though, that today, with so many people interested in jure sanguinis, Italian courts recognize that automatic citizenship through marriage did not result in a loss of Italian citizenship.
