Opinion ID: 3062951
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: First Complaint

Text: While serving her prison sentence, Roberts pro se filed this civil action seeking: (1) review of her naturalization application; (2) removal of the detainer lodged against her; and (3) a declaration that she is a national of the United States. The district court sua sponte dismissed Roberts’ complaint, but gave Roberts until June 11, 2009 to file an amended complaint. The district court rejected Roberts’s argument that 8 U.S.C. § 1252(b)(5) provided the jurisdictional basis to review Roberts’ nationality claim. Instead, the district court liberally construed Roberts’ complaint to raise a nationality claim under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 and 28 U.S.C. § 2201 and concluded that Roberts’ complaint failed to state a claim. The district court also determined that filing her naturalization application and swearing allegiance to the United States were insufficient to make Roberts a U.S. national.1