Opinion ID: 799598
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Citizenship Claim under Section 314 of the Nationality Act

Text: Guzman argues that the district court erred in failing to adjudicate his claim of citizenship under section 314 of the Nationality Act of 1940 (the version of the statute in effect at the time of Guzman's birth). However, Guzman failed to raise this claim in his complaint; he first raised it in his response brief in opposition to the Department's motion to dismiss, and never moved for leave to amend his complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a). Because Guzman's complaint did not contain his section 314 claim, the district court correctly ignored that claim in ruling on the Department's 12(b)(6) motion. When presented with such a motion, courts consider whether the complaint states a claim upon which relief could be granted, not whether the plaintiff has statedor could statesuch a claim elsewhere. See, e.g., Yuhasz v. Brush Wellman, Inc., 341 F.3d 559, 562 (6th Cir.2003). Guzman did not state a section 314 claim in his complaint, nor did he seek leave to amend his complaint. The district court did not err in failing to grant leave to amend the complaint where no such leave was requested. See, e.g., Sinay v. Lamson & Sessions Co., 948 F.2d 1037, 1041-42 (6th Cir.1991). In light of Guzman's failure to present his section 314 claim to the district court properly, we decline to address this claim in the first instance on appeal. See Taft Broad. Co. v. United States, 929 F.2d 240, 243 (6th Cir.1991).