Recommendations of the Editorial team
Neil Young’s difficult way to US Citizenship-delays by Trump
Neil Young is not only a famous musician, but also a prominent example of the challenges of the US immigration system. In 2020 – after decades of life in the United States – Young finally received American citizenship. But according to his wife, the actress Daryl Hannah, Donald Trump’s first term of office was significantly more difficult.
Young, born in Toronto and grew up in Canada, moved to the USA in 1967. Despite decades of residence and tax payments in his new home country, the musician only officially applied for the US Citizenship for the 2020 presidential election. With the aim of giving up his vote. However, as Young revealed in a contribution to his “Neil Young Archives” in 2019, the process was delayed due to its earlier cannabis consumption. Although he passed the first citizenship test, he was forced to take another exam.
Humanities in naturalization?
In a recent interview with the BBC, Daryl Hannah reports more about the hurdles. “You really tried every stitch to brake it. Neil had to appear again and again for new conversations.” She criticized the behavior of the authorities as absurd. Especially in view of the fact that Young has been living in the United States since his 20s and regularly pay taxes there.
It remains unclear whether the delays can actually be attributed to Young’s public criticism of Donald Trump. However, it is clear: The political attitude of the musician may have had an impact on the process. Hannah even said that her husband would have to expect entry bans or even detention because of his statements against Trump in the future. Nevertheless, she calmed down: “So far, American citizens have not been prevented from returning to the country. I don’t think that will happen.”
US tour and European tour 2025 are imminent
Despite these uncertainties, it seems that Neil Young can carry out his US tour planned for 2025 as planned. The tour start is scheduled for August, with concerts in cities such as Cleveland, Chicago and Los Angeles. So fans can be happy – the musician is expected to be shown live on stage. Before that, Neil Young can also be seen in Germany, presented by Rolling Stone. There should be no problems here when entering!
Musical commitment with a political message
In parallel to his tour preparation, Young was again politically active. At the event “Fighting Oligarchy” by Bernie Sanders in Los Angeles, he was on stage with Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers. Together they performed “Rockin ‘in the Free World” – a musical statement for freedom and justice.