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Texas Judge Removed Over Citizenship Becomes US Citizen

CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) — A judge in Texas who was put on unpaid leave in May after officials discovered she was not a U.S. citizen has become a citizen.

Corpus Christi Municipal Court Judge Young Min Burkett was sworn in as a citizen on Friday. That makes her eligible to vote and serve as a judge. The oath was administered by a federal judge.

Young Min Burkett
Corpus Christi Municipal Court Judge Young Min Burkett (File Photo: City of Corpus Christi)

Burkett is from South Korea and had been a permanent legal resident. She applied for expedited review of her U.S. citizenship request after being removed from the bench. Burkett says she never tried to deceive or misrepresent her background.

She gave up her South Korean citizenship. The two countries do not allow dual citizenship.

The Corpus Christi City Council will decide whether Burkett should be reinstated as a judge.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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