Daryl Hannah Claims Trump Team Tried to Block Neil Young’s U.S. Citizenship

Neil Young’s path to American citizenship had a few more potholes than most, according to his wife, actress Daryl Hannah. In a recent interview with the BBC, Hannah said the Trump administration made it unnecessarily tough for Young, repeatedly dragging him back for interview after interview over several years. And all this, despite Young having lived and paid taxes in the U.S. since his twenties. If you ever thought bureaucracy couldn’t get personal, think again.

Young, who was born in Toronto, Canada in 1945, first entered the U.S. in 1966 without a visa, and got his green card in 1970. He’s been a fixture of American music ever since—even if his paperwork took some time to catch up.

The saga of Young’s citizenship became public when, in January 2020, he posted on Instagram: "I’m happy to report I’m in," accompanied by a big smile and an even bigger American flag. The announcement came after years of delays, some apparently related to Young’s admitted marijuana use, which prompted additional scrutiny from immigration officials. According to Young, he passed all the questions but was told to redo some tests because of concerns over his cannabis habit and the supposed "problems" of some who partake. Because nothing says ‘welcome to America’ like a pop quiz on your hobbies.

Despite finally securing citizenship, Young hasn’t shaken the feeling that his status could still trip him up. He’s expressed fears that his open criticism of Donald Trump could see him barred from re-entering the U.S. after his upcoming European tour, joking on his website about the possibility of ending up on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket—a scenario that’s sadly not so far-fetched for many travelers these days.

Hannah, who married Young in 2018, is hopeful things won’t go that far. She pointed out that while the U.S. has detained people with green cards or visas, American citizens haven’t been refused entry—at least not yet. Still, she called the treatment of non-citizens "hideous and horrifying."

Fox News Digital said they reached out to the White House for comment but didn’t get a response. Maybe they’re still reviewing the test questions.