Posted on 07/05/2018 7:24:45 PM PDT by tkocur
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Some immigrant U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted in the military with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged, the Associated Press has learned.
The AP was unable to quantify how many men and women who enlisted through the special recruitment program have been booted from the Army, but immigration attorneys say they know of more than 40 who have been discharged or whose status has become questionable, jeopardizing their futures.
“It was my dream to serve in the military,” said reservist Lucas Calixto, a Brazilian immigrant who filed a lawsuit against the Army last week. “Since this country has been so good to me, I thought it was the least I could do to give back to my adopted country and serve in the United States military.”
Some of the service members say they were not told why they were being discharged. Others who pressed for answers said the Army informed them they’d been labeled as security risks because they have relatives abroad or because the Defense Department had not completed background checks on them.
Spokespeople for the Pentagon and the Army said that, due to the pending litigation, they were unable to explain the discharges or respond to questions about whether there have been policy changes in any of the military branches.
Eligible recruits are required to have legal status in the U.S., such as a student visa, before enlisting. More than 5,000 immigrants were recruited into the program in 2016, and an estimated 10,000 are currently serving. Most go the Army, but some also go to the other military branches.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
That was part of my history class in university. There’s even a Youtube series on the Fall of Rome, I think it’s 8 episodes and they were correct. The Roman Army was so big in order to fill the ranks during the last century or so, they promised barbarians citizenship and they got backstabbed. They were NOT loyal to the empire and I doubt a good number of these clowns are either.
They apparently have never even been to Boot camp, so why shouldn't they be kicked off the rolls?
The FBI Announces Gangs Have Infiltrated Every Branch Of The Military
10/22/11
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2796474/posts
I’m of a mixed opinion. When I was in high school, I read Simon Murray’s “Legionnaire” that chronicled his enlistment in the French Foreign Legion. At the end of his enlistment, he was granted French citizenship. But Simon wasn’t married (and I don’t think Legion recruits could be back then) and he had to pass an interview and criminal background check just to win the shot at being a boot who still had to pass basic to be assigned to an FFL unit.
Point: I think that’s how it should be done. Unmarried with no immediate or extended family in the country counting on you as their means of support. And you have to pass a criminal background check, physical, and interview to determine if you’d be a good fit for the armed forces to even get to basic. Pass basic, schools, and fulfill the terms of an honorable enlistment and then you (and you alone) are extended the franchise to become a citizen.
We’ve been doing this for many years. It has worked out well.
I can understand some folks balking at the practice. I’m not convinced it’s worthy of the criticism.
If a foreign national serves with distinction, why not?
We have many people who have gone through these programs. I can’t recall a single instance of treachery.
Look at our own citizens. Only a few have sold secrets, but it’s my take citizens have done this more than foreign nationals.
I’m willing to listen to both sides of the argument. For now I still support it.
If a foreign national is here legally, it’s okay. I won’t support an illegal alien doing it.
“I served with a number of nationals and they all served admirably. The Filipino corpsman come to mind. They most definitely EARNED their citizenship”
Yeah. That’s not what this is.
“Some of the service members say they were not told why they were being discharged. Others who pressed for answers said the Army informed them they’d been labeled as security risks because they have relatives abroad or because the Defense Department had not completed background checks on them.”
A month after i gotto my first assignment we were at some big meet and greet
The OS guy looked at me from across the officers club and said hello, [my name]. I couldn’t hear him, he was too far away. Freaked me right out. But i had nothing really to hide he’d done a real background check on me
It’s the military.
Hello!!
Some of the service members say they were not told why they were being discharged. Others who pressed for answers said the Army informed them they’d been labeled as security risks because they have relatives abroad or because the Defense Department had not completed background checks on them.
...
No big mystery then. This is a security issue. Trump is plugging more holes created by that fairy, Obama.
OMG!! are you NUTS!! The French Foreign legion?? That is hilarious.
All that I can think of wanted to be AMERICANS with a citizenship. Even the Mexicans.
LMAO.
The contract for these guys is to have their background cleared and then they serve. No problem.
But, this should never happened. Only people who have been screened first, should have been allowed to join.
Overall, this program has been a complete failure.
We had a guy like that in my basic platoon. We learned right away that a gentle boot to their foot was a great way to rouse a sleeper and stay out of arm’s reach. Anybody who didn’t get the hint the first time was gently rolled out of their bunk soon after.
“First call! Rise and shine! Up or down!”
We have been crazy for a long time then. When I was stationed overseas in the Azores with the USAF in 1978, a Master Sergeant in the Maintenance Control Center told me he was a Canadian. After that I found that there was a large number of foreign citizens in our military. Lots of Filipinos in our Navy.
CITIZENSHIPUnder the Nationality Act of 1940, aliens who served honorably in the armed forces for three years or more could be naturalized as US citizens without having to meet certain normal requirements of naturalization such as lawful admission into the United States for permanent residence. The Nationality Act of 1940, however, was repealed on 27 June 1952, effective 24 December 1952 by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 USC 1101 et seq) which contains many provisions similar to those of the 1940 Act, but in the case of an alien who served honorably in the armed forces for three years requires that he shall have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Under this law, aliens are normally admitted for permanent residence under the quota system.
On 26 September 1961, the Immigration and Nationality Act was amended (Public Law 87-301) to grant, among other things, to veterans of the Korean Conflict the same naturalization benefits that had been granted to veterans of World War I and World War II. Under this Act, members of the armed forces who served in World War I, World War II, or the Korean Conflict (25 June 1950 to 1 July 1955) need not be lawfully admitted for permanent residence in order to qualify for naturalization provided they had been enlisted or reenlisted in the United States, Canal Zone, American Samoa, or Swains Island at any time prior thereto. Public Law 90-633, in part, ascends S USC 1440 by extending to servicemen serving during the Vietnam conflict the same naturalization benefits provided by the Act to those who served during the previous wars and armed conflict. This law waives the requirement for lawful entry into the United States for permanent residence in the United States for members who served honorably at any time from 23 February 1961, to the end of the Vietnam conflict.
The 1947 agreement between the US and the Philippine government is still in force because of mutual benefit to both countries.
They need to get their asses in line and actually DO IT LEGALLY!! What is wrong with that? Thanks for your service.
The story is bs! The recruits are filing lawsuits and bypassing chain of command. The recruit is still responsible for their status and must spend the money and time to keep their residency status up to date. It is not the military’s responsibility. The army kept sending me to a class to scare me about ever being arrested and the criminal repercussions for lying. One day the CO told me my FBI report said I was lying. I told him the FBI file also has a expungement letter from a judge that I’m not lying. He said “Yep, your right.” never heard anything again. If the recruits refuse to sign the documents pertaining to them being discharge and tell their chain of command they acted in good faith and want to continue to serve or they will write their representatives in congress they will continue.
It should be treated like any other recruiting policy. If you meet the standards, aren’t engaged in criminal gang activity, serve honorably and take steps towards citizenship while serving, then more power to you.
When is DoD going to stop recruiting homosexuals and other sexual deviants? When is DoD going to stop playing feminist power games with combat readiness? I’m more concerned about those issues.
He owned his own business and I think it was voluntary on them. You may like this: he hated FDR. I heard he would not let my grandmother vote because he was afraid she would vote for him!
They do. They had classes back then for them. None of them were illegals. First white guy I ever met with a green card was in the Corps. I didn’t believe him until he showed me it. He was a Canuck from Calgary.
No a student visa is not enough...
an immigrant must have an Alien Registration Card AKA a green card...
a foreigner here on a student visa is not an immigrant...
We have a long history of military service being a path to citizenship. A good one, I think.
We need to be mindful of security risks, placement, and scammers - however there should be a place for those legitimately willing to serve our nation, especially at risk to their lives.
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