First, their parents were sleeper agents in Slovenia, not the US.

But, okay. Let's say that it was the US involved, not Slovenia.

The US, unlike Slovenia, uses jus soli -- if you're born on American soil, whether your parents are present legally or not (with very, very few exceptions, like for diplomats and soldiers of a foreign power occupying American territory), you are an American citizen.

But even then, it sounds like the kids were born prior to the parents entering the country, so they wouldn't have been American citizens. Their parents apparently got visas on forged Argentinian passports, and I assume that whatever visa the kids were on was contingent on that, so the visa would presumably have been invalidated.

Besides, I assume that their parents didn't want to leave them behind. I mean, yeah, their parents were spies, but I don't expect that we're going to take someone's kids over that.

And the kids didn't think that they were Slovenian, but rather from Argentina. Up until the plane ride, that's probably where they expected to wind up.

In 2010, a 16 year old boy who assumed he was Canadian found out that his parents were spies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/son-of-russian-spies-fights-for-canadian-citizenship-1.4681419

16 is a little young to be out on your own. In particular, you don't have any relatives who can help you because... well your parents were spies living under a cover identity.

I don't think that she had a kid in the US. Either that or she did a damned good job of keeping her figure.

kagis

Yeah. Apparently she gave birth to her first kid in Russia five years after being deported.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3238720/The-BORN-identity-Russian-secret-agent-Anna-Chapman-gives-birth-child-Moscow-refuses-father.html

The BORN identity: Russian secret agent Anna Chapman gives birth to her first child in Moscow but refuses to name the father

• Anna Chapman was stripped of her British citizenship after the spy claims
• She was deported from the United States in 2010 and runs an antique shop

You may be thinking of some Russian sleeper agents in Canada who had a son who was something like 17 or 18, was totally in the dark about what his parents were doing, and very much did not want to leave Canada and go to Russia.

kagis

It sounds like he fought to remain a Canadan citizen and won.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50873329

Alexander Vavilov had his citizenship revoked after his parents, who worked for Russia's foreign intelligence service, were arrested in 2010.

He was born in Canada, and until their arrest he believed his parents were Canadian too.

It is the first time he has spoken since Canada's Supreme Court ruled his citizenship was valid.

"I am who I am - whatever you learn about your heritage I don't think it defines you as a person," Mr Vavilov told the media in Toronto on Friday.

He said the court victory was recognition that he not only feels like a Canadian, but is one in the eyes of the law.

The government said that since his parents worked for a foreign government at the time of his birth, being born on Canadian soil was not enough to grant him citizenship.

Thus began Mr Vavilov's long fight to restore his citizenship.

Typically, being born in Canada grants a child automatic citizenship. But there are exceptions for the children of diplomats. The government said that exception should apply to him - Mr Vavilov's legal team disagreed.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that since his parents were not granted diplomatic status, his citizenship is valid.

EDIT: He was 16 when they were arrested, and it sounds like most of that time had lived in the US as a Canadian, and that he is in Russia but was looking for work in Canada.

He told the media that he wants a future in Canada but his next steps depend on his prospects - he will move back for a good work opportunity.