Rick Perry: Illegal Immigrants Who Serve In The Military Deserve Citizenship

TPM ^ | August 20, 2011 | Evan McMorris-Santoro

[Cincinatus' Wife]

ROCK HILL, SC -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) spoke for a few minutes to reporters here about his views on immigration, which have gotten him into some hot water with the conservative base he hopes to woo as his presidential campaign spools up. What he offered up was a little something for everyone.

Perry said states should be responsible for their own immigration laws, also stating that the federal government must step up border enforcement. He also spelled out his support for a national program that would allow illegal immigrants who serve in the military to become citizens.

Illegal immigration is, of course, a core issue among conservatives, who continue to reject any plan that allows existing illegal immigrants to become citizens as part of comprehensive immigration reform. In Texas, Perry has taken a number of positions on the issue at the state level that have ruffled feathers on the national anti-illegal immigrant right -- including advocating for and signing a Texas version of the DREAM Act.

He opposes the national DREAM Act debated in the last Congress.

But in South Carolina Saturday, he said he supported a main tenet of that bill -- that illegal immigrants can earn their citizenship by serving honorably in the military.

"I think there is a path to citizenship for those young men and women who have served their country," Perry said in response to a question from NachoFiesta blogger Sean Quinn. "That is a very unique set of individuals, and different than folks who have come here illegally and not given back in that particular way."

But on other controversial immigration laws, Perry said the states should be able to do what they wish.

"I am a big believer in the 10th Amendment," Perry said. He said "state by state, they need to make those decisions" about charging illegal immigrants in-state college tuition prices (as Perry has advocated in Texas) or passing laws like Arizona's SB 1070.

"I happen to believe with all my heart that the states would be best served by being able to be free to make these decisions themselves," Perry said. "I didn't think that for the state of Texas and Arizona-exact law was right for the state of Texas. I didn't want to make our law enforcement officers federal immigration officers. So, state by state ought to be the way to do that, not by the federal government making one size fits all."

But Perry said the federal government needs to lead the way in some areas of immigration, such as a national reform package.

"Once we secure the border, we can have a conversation about immigration reform in this country, but not until," he said. "You must have the federal government putting the resources, the boots on the ground, the aviation assets in the air, and secure that border so that we know that the border is secure before we have a conversation about any immigration reform."

[stephenjohnbanker]

My dead (RIP) Sheltie could beat Obama. We don’t need another RINO globalist in the WH. Somebody else better jump in, or get behind Bachmann.. she would MURDER Obama in a debate.

[dennisw]

I rather be complaining about a Rick Perry in the White House than an Obama in the White House. Any Republican who can beat Bammy Boy gets my vote. But my preference is Rick Perry and he can beat Bammy. Bachmann, Palin cannot raise the $$ to beat Obama. Rick Perry and Romney can

[triumphant values]

Many Italian immigrants came here to escape serving under Mussolini and served in the US Army to gain citizenship. I have absolutely no problem with this for people of any nationality.

Each and every wave of immigration has forced this country further and further toward leftist statism. A very shortsighted view on your part.

What was set up here was a very particular and novel form of Anglo governance. It is not universally transferable to all peoples of the world. If it was they would already have it on their own.

[spaced]

tcrlaf -

I concur with you. If children who were brought into this country illegally by their parents are willing to risk their lives in our military, I believe granting them citizenship would benefit our country. Robert Heinlein, in STARSHIP TROOPERS, proposed that only those who served in the military had earned the right to be citizens. I daresay a majority of the FReepers would not qualify if that were the criteria.

[Hot Tabasco]

Wait, what?? How are illegal immigrants getting into the military in the first place?

They can't, I'm thinking this was just a misstatement by Perry that wasn't picked up and corrected by him.......

[Liz]

Riding the US gravy train:

An illegal w/ wife and five children violates our borders. He gets a job mowing lawns for $5.00 or 6.00/hour. At that low wage, with six dependents, he pays no income tax, so each year, he files an Income Tax Return to get "EITC---earned income credit" of up to $3,200 scot-free.

He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent. He qualifies for food stamps and no deductible, no co-pay free health care. His children get free school breakfasts and lunches. The kids qualify for monthly SSI checks, faking ADD; the illegal and his wife get SSI if they fake being aged, blind or disabled; SSI qualifies them for Medicare.

Plus illegals don't worry about pricey items like car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance, and qualifies for relief from high energy bills.

NOTE Earned Income Tax Credit is available only to immigrant workers who obtain legal work status. But the law allows immigrants to claim EITC for up to three years prior to obtaining that status. Workers simply file a tax return for the years in which they were not legally eligible to work in the US. The most widespread abuse stems from the requirement that children live with the worker for more than six months of the year.

IRS does little to verify the claim. Many immigrants claim non-existent children, or claim children who they’ve left behind with relatives. Those with two or more children and income below $32,121 could get as much as $4,008. It is estimated that illegals got $22 billion in EITC's.

ALL OF THAT IS COLLECTED UNDER ONE IDENTITY Evidence shows these "impoverished" immigrants pony up several thousand dollars for phony ID's, faked SS nos and other fraudulent documents.

Illegal Jose Madrigal, the Washington state rapist, had some 30 identities.

[dragnet2]

How are illegal immigrants getting into the military in the first place?

More Perry voters.

[10thAmendmentGuy]

Immigration is a federal issue, and as he said, it needs to be dealt with federally. But in enforcement of illegal immigration laws, which the federal government also has a big part of, Perry is saying that each state should be allowed to also take actions as they see fit, which includes deciding in their own states what their own taxpayers will subsidize in the way of illegals.

We ALL pay for illegal immigration through federal programs like Medicaid. The federal government pays for roughly half and the states pay for half. I live in New York. We also have in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. New Yorkers pay for the fact that there are illegals in Texas. Texas pays for the fact that there are illegals in New York. All states should pay for their own illegals that they're stuck with, but that's not how it works. All states SHOULD have a vested interest in reducing their population of illegal immigrants. If you eliminate illegals' access to programs like Medicaid, then the argument is weakened a bit, but not a huge amount, because their children are still eligible for Medicaid, food stamps, etc. The federal government should stop meddling in state affairs and let states pass heavy fines on employers that hire them. Then the federal government should eliminate birthright citizenship for illegals. The problem then goes away. 80% of the illegals will leave this country in 5 years, or will go to the states that have sanctuary cities and no laws like the ones I mentioned.

I understand what you're saying about how the residents of Texas have decided that illegals should educated on the taxpayer dime, but what's the point of even allowing them entry since no respectable company requiring a degree for a position will end up hiring them? Once they graduate with their bachelor's degree, they'll be over-qualified for the low-wage positions that they will occupy. UNLESS, unless, unless, this state funding of in-state tuition for illegals is a tacit admission that the feds are going to have another amnesty program where illegals will be able to put their state-subsidized degrees to use in the greater labor market.

[Vevey]

Maybe we are talking across each other rather than to each other. I challenged the following statement: “Most white bread kids today are brainwashed into thinking military = Marines, which is why so few volunteer.”
You argue the statement is supported by the fact that Red States disproportionately fill the ranks of the military. If you think that the “demographics” supports your assertion, you’re mistaken. Do you really think that blue State kids don’t volunteer because they’re brainwashed to believe: “military = Marines.” That’s a novel theory. So if Blue State kids were reprogrammed to believe military = desk job, they would flock to serve? It’s your opinion and if you wish to cling to it, it’s your choice. However, your opinion is based in belief not data.

[Quicksilver]

I live in rural Virginia, I have no personal experience with illegal immigrants. I don't feel qualified to offer opinions on illegal immigration issues beyond saying that the federal government should seal the borders first (I have no idea how that should be done), then work out the details of immigration reform. Clearly, it will be very messy.

Also, like it, or not, I think the economy will be the overriding issue.

[dragnet2]

Lessse, were supposed to be at war, and your boy says people that enter this country illegally, during wartime no less, can serve in the military, and then awarded citizenship.

Good God, ya just can't make this stuff up.

[CharlyFord]

Here's the plan!

We all get fake IDs like the illegals and start milking the system for tens of thousands of dollars each year just like they do. That's better than going Galt!

[DTogo]

You just describe President Obama and the entire Democratic Congressional membership.

Plenty of Republicans fit the "empty Oath" bill as well.

[Melchior]

We have had undocumented immigrants in the United States military for as long as I can remember. I had two East Germans in my outfit who were granted citizenship just before completing their first tour of duty in the Army. Every year the services used to have (and I think still have) a citizenship ceremony where soldiers are sworn-in.

[hellbender]

You don’t seem to get the point. According to Gov. Goodhair’s reasoning, someone who lies, cheats, and fakes his way into the military and manages to finish his term there is entitled to full citizenship. Tricky Rick doesn’t seem to care that this kind of amnesty grants citizenship as a reward for criminal conduct. Rick and 0bama are on the same side here. I’m not.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“If it was they would already have it on their own. “

And I would consider this short-sighted on your part. No one had it until it was created.

[Melchior]

i personally know this is not always true. An Arabic speaking young man with a particular specialty was recently inducted into the U.S. Army at the American Embassy. He certainly had no Green Card.

[CharlesWayneCT]

It is not the state’s job to round up illegal immigrants and deport them. That responsibility is constitutionally assigned to the federal government, and no state can deport people.

So to the degree you in one state pay for illegals in another state, the fact that they are in the state is the federal government’s fault. And the fact that you have to pay illegal’s medicare and medicaid is also the federal government’s fault. And the fact you have to educate them in public schools is the federal government’s fault (well, the courts, but same thing).

A state granting in-state tuition to illegals does not cost any state but the state that does it. They are state schools, and the state runs them and pays for them, and if they want to allow illegals to attend and pay cheap rates, it is the taxpayers of that state who bear the burden.

Just as if a state wants to give out more welfare, or run more programs for the unemployed, that’s their business, or should be. What a state decides to do with it’s money is up to the residents of the state.

And no matter who we elect, and how much we complain, there will be a point, somewhere down the road, where children of illegals who grew up here will end up getting legal residence of some sort (at best, we can hope for a non-citizen version where they have to apply and wait in line. When you put to the american people the question “If a child has spent his entire formative live in the united states, and has no knowledge or connection to his “country of origin”, and that child has attended and graduated our schools, and attended and graduated our colleges, and is trained to be an effective member of society, should we deport them, or give them green cards?”, the overwhelming majority is going to be for letting them stay.

People do NOT associate the problem of illegals with kids who speak english, are ingrained into our culture, and have college degrees. It won’t be a “dream act”, but there will be allowances. This isn’t going to happen soon, but no amount of you and I complaining is going to stop it.

I do agree with you that allowing them to attend college at all, much less more cheaply, is simply moving the problem down the road, because as you said how would they get a job?

Except I guess if the do well, and have a useful degree, and then simply go back home and apply for a visa, they will probably get a work visa through one of our skilled worker immigration programs.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“We have had undocumented immigrants in the United States military for as long as I can remember. I had two East Germans in my outfit who were granted citizenship just before completing their first tour of duty in the Army. Every year the services used to have (and I think still have) a citizenship ceremony where soldiers are sworn-in.”

I think the requirement has always been that the soldier have a green card to enter the military. If they serve honorably for some period of time, they may qualify for citizenship. To my knowledge, there has never been a time where illegal immigrants (no legal status) were admitted. I may be wrong.

I am against illegals serving and earning citizenship without being here legally to start with...

[aMorePerfectUnion]

apparently the military is opening the requirements as this describes...

“http://www.defenselink.mil/news/MAVNI-Fact-Sheet.pdf";

MILITARY ACCESSIONS VITAL TO NATIONAL INTEREST (MAVNI)
RECRUITMENT PILOT

The Secretary of Defense authorized the military services to recruit certain legal aliens whose skills
are considered to be vital to the national interest. Those holding critical skills – physicians, nurses,
and certain experts in language with associated cultural backgrounds – would be eligible. To
determine its value in enhancing military readiness, the limited pilot program will recruit up to 1,000
people, and will continue for a period of up to 12 months.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The applicant must be in one of the following categories at time of enlistment

a. asylee, refugee, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or
b. nonimmigrant categories E, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, O, P, Q, R, S, T, TC, TD, TN, U, or V

2. The applicant must have been in valid status in one of those categories for at least two years
immediately prior to the enlistment date, but it does not have to be the same category as the
one held on the date of enlistment; and

3. An applicant who may be eligible on the basis of a nonimmigrant category at time of
enlistment (see 1b above) must not have had any single absence from the United States of
more than 90 days during the two year period immediately preceding the date of enlistment.

Health Care Professionals

• Applicants must fill medical specialties where the service has a shortfall
• Applicants must meet all qualification criteria required for their medical specialty, and the
criteria for foreign-trained DoD medical personnel recruited under other authorities
• Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English
• Applicants must commit to at least 3 years of active duty, or six years in the Selected Reserve

Enlisted Individuals with Special Language and Culture Backgrounds

• Applicants must possess specific language and culture capabilities in a language critical to DoD
• Applicants must demonstrate a language proficiency
• Applicants must meet all existing enlistment eligibility criteria
• Applicants must enlist for at least 4 years of active duty
(Services may add additional requirements)

Languages
• Albanian
• Amharic
• Arabic
• Azerbaijani
• Bengali
• Burmese
• Cambodian-Khmer
• Chinese
• Czech
• Hausa
• Hindi
• Hungarian
• Igbo
• Indonesian
• Korean
• Kurdish
• Lao
• Malay
• Malayalam
• Moro
• Nepalese
• Persian [Dari & Farsi]
• Polish
• Punjabi
• Pushtu (aka Pashto)
• Russian
• Sindhi
• Sinhalese
• Somali
• Swahili
• Tamil
• Turkish
• Turkmen
• Urdu
• Yoruba

BACKGROUND

Non-citizens have served in the military since the Revolutionary War. The Lodge Act of 1950
permitted non-citizen Eastern Europeans to enlist between 1950 and 1959.

Additionally, the United
States officially began recruiting Filipino nationals into the Navy in the late 1940s, when it signed the
Military Bases Agreement of 1947 allowing U.S. military bases in the Philippines. In total, over
35,000 Filipinos enlisted in the Navy through the program between 1952 and 1991.(program ended 1991)

Today, about 29,000 non-citizens serve in uniform, and about 8,000 legal permanent resident aliens
(green card holders) enlist each year. Law ensures that the sacrifice of non-citizens during a time of
national need is met with an opportunity for early citizenship, to recognize their contribution and
sacrifice.

In fact, today’s service members are eligible for expedited citizenship under a July 2002 Executive
Order, and the military services have worked closely with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) to streamline citizenship processing for service members. Since Sept. 11, 2001,
nearly 43,000 members of the Armed Forces have attained their citizenship while serving this nation.

-END-