A military "freedom legion'' for illegal immigrants?
There is growing buzz over the idea of letting illegal immigrants serve in the military in exchange for citizenship.

In a recent piece, San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. explored both sides of a proposal to create a so-called ``freedom legion,'' a military unit made up of foreign-born residents, including those here illegally.

Navarrette says:

Roping illegal immigrants into military service could accomplish two goals at once: helping alleviate the military's recruitment worries while giving the undocumented a chance to prove that their commitment to this country extends beyond a paycheck.

However, Navarrette's column notes that recruiters could sign up the wrong immigrants, just as they sometimes do with native-born U.S. citizens. He cites the execution-style slaying of three students in Newark, N.J., who authorities say were killed by a gang led by an illegal immigrant from Peru.

But ``freedom legion'' aside, there is little argument over the contributions that immigrants are making in the U.S. Armed Forces.

There are more than 40,000 non-citizens serving in the military today, and another 33,750 immigrant soldiers have been naturalized since Sept. 11, 2001, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. And, 102 immigrants have been awarded posthumous citizenship based on their military service since the War on Terror began.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
just copied and pasted from houston chronicle

No.

Hmm... interesting idea... but I don't know enough to really have a good opinion, lol.

it's a touchy situation because there are those that come here and are really trying to make a better life for their family but there are those that come here and live scott free off our services.

no comment..

I'm undecided on this topic...:confuzzle

I think illegal immigrants should go back to where ever they're legal.

If they want to serve in the military I think they should be allowed to. Some people serving become citizens.

If they want to serve in the military I think they should be allowed to. Some people serving become citizens.

these are not resident aliens but border hoppers.

No!!!

I like Carlos Mencia's idea.... let them serve and go to war, if they come back alive, make them a citizen. They will have the opportunity to do something to better their lives and the lives of their familes, serve the Country and help out our military men and women.

No.

I think illegal immigrants should go back to where ever they're legal.

Ditto.

Oh cause i know foreign nationals or something like that...

Illegals no.

Uh, NO!

Nope.

dont want to be mean but i thnk you should be a citizen of a country before you die for it

I like Carlos Mencia's idea.... let them serve and go to war, if they come back alive, make them a citizen. They will have the opportunity to do something to better their lives and the lives of their familes, serve the Country and help out our military men and women.


:yes

umm you can already join the American military from a different country. So I don't see why this would work it already DOESN'T work.

For example a Irish Senior Chief I was friends with joined the Navy from a recruiting office in England. We have MEPS in Europe they are run by New England Head Quarters in Boston. We have two recruiting offices in Germany as well.

Maybe if the goverment can show us proof that they arnt terrorists and put them in a english class first so they can follow orders and no one gets any better treatment just becuase they are from another country....

yes...I think they should have to.

I think you should be a US Citizen to be able to join the military but then there are a lot of imigrants who would do anything to be a US Citizen and just can't do it.

i say let em go front lines and then come back and PAY FULL TAXES !!!

Maybe if the goverment can show us proof that they arnt terrorists and put them in a english class first so they can follow orders and no one gets any better treatment just becuase they are from another country....


:yes

Create a program that's available to illegal aliens in the US now. They MUST pass the citizenship exam, be proficient in the English language (this is a requirement) and meet the eligibility requirements all other servicemembers must meet. Once these things are established, they are enlisted for a period of FOUR years, where they serve in non-mission critical roles (no top secret missions, for example.) ANY infraction of the UCMJ will result immediate removal from the program and deportation. A percentage of their paycheck, say, the GI BILL value, which they won't be eligible for, will be returned to the Government for whatever. After the four year term is up, they are officially recognized as a US Citizen, having served their new country.

Create a program that's available to illegal aliens in the US now. They MUST pass the citizenship exam, be proficient in the English language (this is a requirement) and meet the eligibility requirements all other servicemembers must meet. Once these things are established, they are enlisted for a period of FOUR years, where they serve in non-mission critical roles (no top secret missions, for example.) ANY infraction of the UCMJ will result immediate removal from the program and deportation. A percentage of their paycheck, say, the GI BILL value, which they won't be eligible for, will be returned to the Government for whatever. After the four year term is up, they are officially recognized as a US Citizen, having served their new country.

:clap :jump4joy amen

I havent read any replies, but to me this is just too close to slavery. I would not be comfortable with it unless it was voluntary and they had the option to be deported instead.

Illegal NO but legals yes. My DH has been here since age 9 and when I met him he was atleast 1 yr already in the military. got his citizenship about a year or longer after we married because his parents never got it for him as a child. He was born in Jamaica and you would never have known unless he tells you. Which he won't. So if you do it the right way that is great.

Create a program that's available to illegal aliens in the US now. They MUST pass the citizenship exam, be proficient in the English language (this is a requirement) and meet the eligibility requirements all other servicemembers must meet. Once these things are established, they are enlisted for a period of FOUR years, where they serve in non-mission critical roles (no top secret missions, for example.) ANY infraction of the UCMJ will result immediate removal from the program and deportation. A percentage of their paycheck, say, the GI BILL value, which they won't be eligible for, will be returned to the Government for whatever. After the four year term is up, they are officially recognized as a US Citizen, having served their new country.




:lmao :yes !!!

Only if they are legal, i think is a little messed up that they will let illigal immigrant join the military.I have a green card and we had to go trough a lot of stuff and time to get me one, even the fact that we were married and he is in the military didn't help.They only gave me a provvisory green card for 2 years, cause they want to make sure that we are married for longer before they gave the other one.So, why let people that came here illigally be so priviliged???

I think illegal immigrants should go back to where ever they're legal.

i agree. if you want to be in this country you should do it legally.

Only if they are legal, i think is a little messed up that they will let illigal immigrant join the military.I have a green card and we had to go trough a lot of stuff and time to get me one, even the fact that we were married and he is in the military didn't help.They only gave me a provvisory green card for 2 years, cause they want to make sure that we are married for longer before they gave the other one.So, why let people that came here illigally be so priviliged???

Illegals will continue to cross our borders until we make policies that are more disuasive than their current station or provides us with an effective means of monitoring and implementing them into our society.

hmm.. i dunno with the lack of active support for the military from the general american public it seems like if illegals want to fight for the US to prove their dedication to this country and to "pay" for their legal status why should we stop them? illegals are a touchy subject for me because my grandparents immigrated here from mexico-legally!!- but i can see their past and hear their stories and understand how some people can be so desperate to come to this country. maybe if a program was worked out to where they would have to serve longer to receive those benefits we would get the ones that "mean it." it really disgusts me that so few americans actually serve in the military.. i was on my way to enlisting before my husband snatched me up.. its still not out of the picture for me..

I feel like if they want to serve in our military... as long as they are proficient in english we should let them. How many people (american citizens) join the military to get out of jail sentences? I think that is a little worse than these men/women wanting to fight for our country. If they arent legal, then the recruiters can help them get legal. maybe their reasons are a little unprioritized, but so many people join for the wrong reasons. JMO

It sounds great... But, well, the Romans tried it, and from many historian's perspectives, it helped bring about the collapse of the empire....

....along with too many foreign military "adventures", a devalued currency, dissolution of the morals of the Roman population, poor leadership, no common language, etc. etc....know what I'm getting at?

haha Good point Lefty :) Sounds familiar :thinking

My opinion on this is strong. Since I am prior Navy and currently National Guard I say they should not serve next to our hard working men and women in uniform. My family did not fight in all the wars for immigarnts to serve. I am dead set against it.

My opinion on this is strong. Since I am prior Navy and currently National Guard I say they should not serve next to our hard working men and women in uniform. My family did not fight in all the wars for immigarnts to serve. I am dead set against it.

What are we then if not a nation BUILT of immigrants? Many of which did not come over legally if it was before the late 1800's early 1900's

I say if they wanna serve put em on the front line and send them to war. If not send em home

What are we then if not a nation BUILT of immigrants? Many of which did not come over legally if it was before the late 1800's early 1900's

I have a lot of american indian in my family but never the less my family did come over here legally and did not jump the fence so to speak. I see your point but I do not want someone fighting next to me like that. That is like having a person on welfare fighting next to me. They have never worked for anything and thus they are on welfare. Wait, not 100% of them of course but a majority of them once on that never tend to want to improve. If the person can prove their worth and prove they WANT to be here for the right reasons then yes BUT they MUST learn our language prior to even being considered for our fine military. If I am ever in the battlefield and have a non english speaking person that would comprimize a lot. Our men and women do not need that added pressure.

I say if they wanna serve put em on the front line and send them to war. If not send em home

That sounds (not you personally but that thought process) far to hauntingly like the attitude towards Japanese Americans during WWII. Many of the men were forced to join the military to prove their loyalty. It was the only way they could leave the internment camps during WWII.

Of course if we would do that to legal residents & American citizens nothing would surprise me that we would find a way to do it too undocumented immigrants as well. They would just offer it to the ones in detainment camps. Yep pretty damn close to the WWII tragedy.

I have a lot of american indian in my family but never the less my family did come over here legally and did not jump the fence so to speak. I see your point but I do not want someone fighting next to me like that. That is like having a person on welfare fighting next to me. They have never worked for anything and thus they are on welfare. Wait, not 100% of them of course but a majority of them once on that never tend to want to improve. If the person can prove their worth and prove they WANT to be here for the right reasons then yes BUT they MUST learn our language prior to even being considered for our fine military. If I am ever in the battlefield and have a non english speaking person that would comprimize a lot. Our men and women do not need that added pressure.

That is full of a lot of stereotypes. The mythological welfare abuser, (there are some that abuse the system but not MOST) just being one of them and I won't muddy the waters with it in this debate. Undocumented immigrants ARE hardworking. They work in our slaughter houses, they work as maids, they work in fields picking crops, etc etc.

I have served in the Navy with people that come form foreign countries some of which speak very hard to understand English.

When I spoke of immigration and how none of it was done "legally" until the late 1800's I was not pointing fingers at you. I am from immigrants that just came off the boat (my Great Grandparents came through San Fransisco with my Grandmother from Poland right before WWII.) On the other side I am Cherokee descended from the last beloved woman of the Cherokee nation. So my family came here the "right" way too. I was just pointing out that this nation (as it is today) was BUILT by immigrants. Many of which if they are old families (1600's to mid 1800's) did not come here "legally". As I am sure many of the now extinct Native American Nations would agree.

They should do something to be able to be over here with me supporting them and their 15 kids.

Yep its a piss poor attitude to have but its the one I got

I think illegal immigrants should go back to where ever they're legal.

:agree

I was speaking to my husband about this issue last night and he said it is already a law or whatever, to join the US military you have to be proficiant in English. He had a e5 or e6 from equidor(SP) that spoke very poor english, they told him he couldnt join until he improved it. When he did he went in. Also.... you cant help where you were born or your nationality.These people want what we have....FREEDOM! IF these MEN/WOMEN want to FIGHT for our COUNTRY why not let them. That is less of a chance of a draft. Wouldnt you rather have people defending our freedom that want to instead of a bunch of pissed off people that dont want to do it? I think we will be better off this way.