Traffic Violations and Nationality (and nationality vs citizenship)

[skidivawannabe 2]

Driving up to a resort, my husband was stopped and ticketed by a highway patrol officer for speeding.

After all the SOP's the officer asked, "what is your nationality?"

I'm now wondering if this is a standard question when stopped for traffic violations. I found it to be inappropriate for the given situation.

Also, I've been googling "nationality" vs "citizenship" and am still baffled as to difference between the two.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Since I doubt one is ever required to state their race, and citizenship is a legal state, if anyone official asked me to state my "nationality" I would state my citizenship. If I held multiple citizenships, the one most favorable to the situation, and if I held another legal status favorable to the situation, I would also give that. ie: "I am Filipino, but I have legal permanent residence in the US."

So you know, some law enforcement departments require, as a matter of policy, that the legal status of the people they interact with be confirmed. Especially if your husband handed over a foreign drivers' license, I would expect questions like this.

[skidivawannabe 2]

Since I doubt one is ever required to state their race, and citizenship is a legal state, if anyone official asked me to state my "nationality" I would state my citizenship. If I held multiple citizenships, the one most favorable to the situation, and if I held another legal status favorable to the situation, I would also give that. ie: "I am Filipino, but I have legal permanent residence in the US."

So you know, some law enforcement departments require, as a matter of policy, that the legal status of the people they interact with be confirmed. Especially if your husband handed over a foreign drivers' license, I would expect questions like this.

My husband holds a valid California driver's license. The car registration is under his name as well. Everything was in place.

My husband clearly answered: "Filipino" and I wondered if he should have answered "American" because he is a USC too. I never really had problems distinguishing "nationality" vs "citizenship" until I read too much on it. ha ha ha

Thanks for your input.

[smoahmad 0]

My husband holds a valid California driver's license. The car registration is under his name as well. Everything was in place.

My husband clearly answered: "Filipino" and I wondered if he should have answered "American" because he is a USC too. I never really had problems distinguishing "nationality" vs "citizenship" until I read too much on it. ha ha ha

Thanks for your input.

In the US at least, all citizens are also US nationals. The only time a distinction applies is for people born in American Samoa or Swains Island. They are considered US nationals, but not citizens. So they owe permanent allegiance to the US and have most rights and privileges, but cannot be elected president, for example.

I think the officer in question was a dunce, and probably trying to make a jab towards ethnicity/race/legal status, but screwed it up.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

"Show my your t*ts" I find inappropriate at a traffic stop. Or "what's your religion?" But "what's your nationality" doesn't seem to be inappropriate to me. That aside, it's anybody's choice to respond with: "I rather not disclose that to you, Officer."

[Lorenzoid 12]

My husband holds a valid California driver's license. The car registration is under his name as well. Everything was in place.

My husband clearly answered: "Filipino" and I wondered if he should have answered "American" because he is a USC too. I never really had problems distinguishing "nationality" vs "citizenship" until I read too much on it. ha ha ha

Thanks for your input.

I would think that if he is a naturalized USC the most appropriate answer would be "American." However, there is no wrong answer, unless one is trying to mislead the officer or be uncooperative. Stating "Filipino" because he is proud of his heritage was fine, too. Or, as someone else suggested, he could have politely declined to answer that question.

Keep in mind that police are known to ask broad and even intentionally vague and ambiguous questions just to see what kind of response they might elicit. If your husband had reacted nervously, for example, the officer might have followed up the "nationality" question with something else. Who knows. I think it was a harmless way for the officer to open up the door to a person saying something incriminating like "yeah, I just drove across the border from Mexico a few hours ago with a trunk full of contraband." People sometimes offer up wonderful (from law enforcement's point of view) admissions of wrongdoing in response to an officer's seemingly innocuous questions. Bottom line, in my opinion, is that the officer was just poking around to see what your husband might say.

[skidivawannabe 2]

I had a feeling it was some sort of racial profiling. I was thinking to myself what its relevance was to the traffic violation. Are they trying to make a survey that X% of YYY race are prone to violating ABC regulations, etc.

Then again, it's just me. I may have been watching too many crime shows. LOL.

Edited February 15, 2010 by skidivawannabe

[TBoneTX 45,543]

People sometimes offer up wonderful (from law enforcement's point of view) admissions of wrongdoing in response to an officer's seemingly innocuous questions.

Si, man. An excellent deflective response might be, "I prefer to keep my private affairs private, but thank you for your interest, Officer. Now, why are you stopping me today?" Oh -- and NEVER consent to ANY search!

[Tahoma 2,292]

My answer to the cop: "Are you conducting an investigation?"