Daryl Hannah Claims Neil Young’s Citizenship Process Was Hindered by ‘Every Trick in the Book’

Actress Daryl Hannah has spoken about the issues faced by husband Neil Young in his journey to becoming an American citizen, claiming “every trick in the book” was used to delay the process.

Hannah, who has been married to Young since 2018, made the claims in a new interview with the BBC, alleging that the process was delayed purposefully. “They tried […] every trick in the book to mess him up, and made him keep coming back to be re-interviewed and re-interviewed,” Hannah explained. “It’s ridiculous [because] he’s been living in America and paying taxes here since he was in his 20s.”

Indeed, Young was born in Toronto in 1945 but relocated to the U.S. in 1966. In a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, Young admitted that he had lived in the country illegally until he obtained a green card in 1970.

In November 2019, Young discussed some of the delays his citizenship application had faced, noting that a policy update from earlier that same year meant that his previous use of marijuana had not seen him meet the standard for “good moral character.”

“When I recently applied for American citizenship, I passed the test,” Young wrote at the time. “It was a conversation where I was asked many questions. I answered them truthfully and passed. Recently however, I have been told that I must do another test, due to my use of marijuana and how some people who smoke it have exhibited a problem.”

Ultimately, Young was granted U.S. citizenship in January 2020, though he would later relocate to Canada that same year.

Recently, Young’s criticism of the U.S. government has seen him share fears that he may be blacklisted from a return to the U.S. based upon the “latest actions of our US government.” 

 “When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket,” Young wrote on his website on April 1. “If I come back from Europe and am barred, can’t play my USA tour, all of the folks who bought tickets will not be able to come to a concert by me.”

“If the fact that I think Donald Trump is the worst president in the history of our great country could stop me from coming back, what does that say for Freedom?” he added. “I love America and its people and its music and its culture.”

Despite these comments, Hannah noted that she doesn’t share the same fear that Young might be detained at the border, largely due to his status as a U.S. citizen. 

“They’ve been detaining people who have green cards or visas – which is hideous and horrifying – but they have not, so far, been refusing to let American citizens back in the country, so I don’t think that’s going to happen,” she stated.