Nearly all House Republicans voted against U.S. military service members on Wednesday, with just three members of that caucus joining House Democrats to pass legislation that would prevent the unjust deportation of immigrants who have fought for the nation.
The Veteran Service Recognition Act, which would create an easier naturalization process for active service members and give some deported veterans a chance to return home to the U.S. where they belong, passed the chamber 220-208. All 208 votes opposing U.S. military service members were from Republicans. Only Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick, Ilinois’ Adam Kinzinger, and Florida’s María Elvira Salazar joined Democrats in protecting our service members.
“Non-citizens are eligible for expedited citizenship if they serve honorably in the U.S. military,” Military.com reported. “But advocates charge that defense and immigration officials put up too many hurdles in the process and don't do enough to inform immigrant service members of their eligibility.”
RELATED STORY: ICE has no idea exactly how many veterans it has deported, watchdog report finds
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“I have been fighting to prevent noncitizen veterans from falling through the cracks of our broken immigration system for years because it is shameful that they are being exiled from the same country they risked their lives to protect and defend,” said Rep. Mark Takano, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chair and a main sponsor of the bill.
“I am thrilled that the House passed the Veteran Service Recognition Act, a critical step to ensuring that our men and women in uniform are honored for their bravery, heroism, and service, no matter where they were born,” Takano continued. He introduced the bill alongside Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Jerry Nadler, Lou Correa, Juan Vargas, and Raul Ruiz.
The legislation, introduced last June, would take a number of steps to secure the future of immigrant service members in the U.S., including the creation of a program allowing the naturalization application process to begin as early as basic training, and codify a committee to review the cases of veterans and active service members in deportation proceedings. The Biden administration has previously said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must “consider” U.S. military service when looking at whether or not it will detain someone.
The Veteran Service Recognition Act also critically provides an opportunity for veterans who have been deported and were not convicted of serious crimes a chance to return home. Yes, our nation has a long history of deporting immigrant veterans, who can become vulnerable to ICE detention and expulsion after being convicted of certain crimes. Some of these vets have described struggling with combat-related trauma prior to the convictions that led to their deportation. They need care, not to get kicked out of the country they served.
And because of ICE’s lack of complete record-keeping, we don’t even know exactly how many veterans have been deported, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office said in 2019. “[F]rom how I see it, deporting our veterans is one of the worst acts of betrayal that our federal government can commit,” Rep. Joaquin Castro said during floor remarks Tuesday.
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“If you fight and risk your life for our country, you should stay in our country,” Ruiz said. “That’s why the Veteran Service Recognition Act aims to prevent the deportation of noncitizen servicemembers and gives them due process in America and a fair shot at a pathway to citizenship. Today’s historic passage of the Veteran Service Recognition Act moves us closer to ensuring that noncitizen veterans are not treated as second-class veterans. I now urge the Senate to act and honor their service.”
That call was echoed by Lofgren. “I am glad that the Veteran Service Recognition Act, which I introduced with chair Takano, passed the House, and I hope the Senate moves it to the President’s desk,” she said. “The legislation not only keeps our promise to veterans by allowing them to remain in the country, but also gives those who were unjustly removed the opportunity to be considered to return.”
“The bill still needs to pass the Senate in order to become law, an unlikely prospect with just a couple weeks left in this congressional session and Republicans holding enough seats in the upper chamber to block bills they oppose,” Military.com continued. Bipartisan senators have reportedly been discussing a framework that would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, but even that may have harmful border measures attached in order to attract GOP support and overcome the Jim Crow filibuster.
With the Republican Party gearing up to take the majority in the 2023 Congressional term, the disarray they have been experiencing the past six years is now at Keystone Cops-level hilarity. Markos and Kerry speak with Daily Kos Senior Staff Writer Joan McCarter. Joan covers the Congress day-in and day-out, and has done so for a decade. She gives Markos and Kerry an enjoyable blow-by-blow of the Republican mud wrestling match going on right now.
Embedded Content
RELATED STORIES:
'Crying over happiness': Deported military veteran returns home to U.S. after more than two decades
Biden admin says ICE must consider U.S. military service when determining enforcement action
Biden admin announces resource center for deported veterans seeking to return home to U.S.
The Veteran Service Recognition Act, which would create an easier naturalization process for active service members and give some deported veterans a chance to return home to the U.S. where they belong, passed the chamber 220-208. All 208 votes opposing U.S. military service members were from Republicans. Only Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick, Ilinois’ Adam Kinzinger, and Florida’s María Elvira Salazar joined Democrats in protecting our service members.
“Non-citizens are eligible for expedited citizenship if they serve honorably in the U.S. military,” Military.com reported. “But advocates charge that defense and immigration officials put up too many hurdles in the process and don't do enough to inform immigrant service members of their eligibility.”
RELATED STORY: ICE has no idea exactly how many veterans it has deported, watchdog report finds
Campaign Action
“I have been fighting to prevent noncitizen veterans from falling through the cracks of our broken immigration system for years because it is shameful that they are being exiled from the same country they risked their lives to protect and defend,” said Rep. Mark Takano, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chair and a main sponsor of the bill.
“I am thrilled that the House passed the Veteran Service Recognition Act, a critical step to ensuring that our men and women in uniform are honored for their bravery, heroism, and service, no matter where they were born,” Takano continued. He introduced the bill alongside Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Jerry Nadler, Lou Correa, Juan Vargas, and Raul Ruiz.
The legislation, introduced last June, would take a number of steps to secure the future of immigrant service members in the U.S., including the creation of a program allowing the naturalization application process to begin as early as basic training, and codify a committee to review the cases of veterans and active service members in deportation proceedings. The Biden administration has previously said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must “consider” U.S. military service when looking at whether or not it will detain someone.
The Veteran Service Recognition Act also critically provides an opportunity for veterans who have been deported and were not convicted of serious crimes a chance to return home. Yes, our nation has a long history of deporting immigrant veterans, who can become vulnerable to ICE detention and expulsion after being convicted of certain crimes. Some of these vets have described struggling with combat-related trauma prior to the convictions that led to their deportation. They need care, not to get kicked out of the country they served.
And because of ICE’s lack of complete record-keeping, we don’t even know exactly how many veterans have been deported, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office said in 2019. “[F]rom how I see it, deporting our veterans is one of the worst acts of betrayal that our federal government can commit,” Rep. Joaquin Castro said during floor remarks Tuesday.
YouTube Video
“If you fight and risk your life for our country, you should stay in our country,” Ruiz said. “That’s why the Veteran Service Recognition Act aims to prevent the deportation of noncitizen servicemembers and gives them due process in America and a fair shot at a pathway to citizenship. Today’s historic passage of the Veteran Service Recognition Act moves us closer to ensuring that noncitizen veterans are not treated as second-class veterans. I now urge the Senate to act and honor their service.”
That call was echoed by Lofgren. “I am glad that the Veteran Service Recognition Act, which I introduced with chair Takano, passed the House, and I hope the Senate moves it to the President’s desk,” she said. “The legislation not only keeps our promise to veterans by allowing them to remain in the country, but also gives those who were unjustly removed the opportunity to be considered to return.”
“The bill still needs to pass the Senate in order to become law, an unlikely prospect with just a couple weeks left in this congressional session and Republicans holding enough seats in the upper chamber to block bills they oppose,” Military.com continued. Bipartisan senators have reportedly been discussing a framework that would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, but even that may have harmful border measures attached in order to attract GOP support and overcome the Jim Crow filibuster.
With the Republican Party gearing up to take the majority in the 2023 Congressional term, the disarray they have been experiencing the past six years is now at Keystone Cops-level hilarity. Markos and Kerry speak with Daily Kos Senior Staff Writer Joan McCarter. Joan covers the Congress day-in and day-out, and has done so for a decade. She gives Markos and Kerry an enjoyable blow-by-blow of the Republican mud wrestling match going on right now.
Embedded Content
RELATED STORIES:
'Crying over happiness': Deported military veteran returns home to U.S. after more than two decades
Biden admin says ICE must consider U.S. military service when determining enforcement action
Biden admin announces resource center for deported veterans seeking to return home to U.S.