; and (B) include situations in which the position of the competent authority of a state differs from the law of the state as written, if the position of the competent authority of the state that an individual is not a national of the state is determinative. (4) Relevant association The term relevant association means an individual’s connection to a state through— (A) birth on the territory of the state; (B) direct descent from 1 or more individuals who are nationals of the state; (C) marriage to an individual who is a national of the state; (D) adoption by an individual who is a national of the state; or (E) habitual residence in the state. (5) Stateless person The term stateless person means an individual who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law. (6) Frivolous application The term frivolous application means an application that— (A) contains a fabricated material element; (B) is premised upon false or fabricated evidence, unless the application would have been granted without the false or fabricated evidence; (C) is filed without regard to the merits of the claim; or (D) is clearly foreclosed by applicable law. (b) Mechanisms for regularizing the status of stateless persons (1) Stateless protected status (A) Principal applicants Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide stateless protected status to a noncitizen who— (i) is a stateless person present in the United States; (ii) applies for such relief; (iii) has not performed a potentially expatriating act under section 349 after the date of the enactment of this section, unless the noncitizen had acquired or had a reasonable expectation that the noncitizen would acquire a foreign nationality or citizenship; (iv) except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection— (I) is not inadmissible under section subparagraph (C), (E), (G), or (H) of section 212(a)(2) or section 212(a)(3) (other than subparagraph (D)); and (II) is not removable under section 237(a)(4)