In Part One of our Dana Tee: Nationality series we discussed the question “Is Dana White a foreigner?” In this article we will answer that question directly. Dana White is an American of British nationality whose life and career span span the past two decades of her life, dating both men and women of different nationalities in multiple countries. She is a successful, much sought out fashion commentator for various networks who offers her own podcast, hosts several well-known cooking shows on television, and continues to travel extensively throughout the world in both casual and luxury style.
Dana White is not technically a national of any country, however, she is of West African descent and was born in Texas. She was granted United States citizenship at the age of eighteen but never applied for Canadian citizenship due to the fact that her mother was born in Canada and considered a Canadian by all rights. As such, Dana was denied the opportunity to gain citizenship herself due to her dual citizenship status. However, through a program called “chain migration” it was possible for someone with one British citizenship to change their birth location (i.e. move to British Columbia) and acquire another British citizenship in order to gain residency in Canada. This is how White was able to attain citizenship in both Canada and the United States.
Even though White’s parents did not live in Canada when she was born, they both claim citizenship in that country. This is how White became a dual citizen and why she is so qualified to discuss issues of race, sex, and age in a podcast as well as being a commentator and host for various television networks. The important thing to remember about “chain migration” or the movement of people across borders to reach a new country is that they must keep within the bounds of the law and must avoid transgressing the laws of their destination country in order to remain a legal citizen in their new country. It is a fine line that can be quite tricky to cross and it is doubtful that White fits into this precise category even after she achieved her status as a U.S. citizen.